Bhatkal: Due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus, the atmosphere in Uttara Kannada district particularly is strict, and the tightness in the lockdown implemented was not diminished. Even for the fourth consecutive week in the Bhatkal, the day which felt like a festivity looked to be as a normal day as Mosques continued to wear deserted looks and remained closed.

When the Coronavirus knocked the country for the first time, there was no special attention given towards it and the people were not in the position of taking it seriously. But the entire scenario started to change after a youngster, a Bhatkal resident, who arrived in Mangaluru from Dubai was confirmed with the COVID-19 positive and was admitted to Wenlock Hospital, Mangaluru.

When the question of quarantine began in the country, there was a general perception among the public that all this was being done to divert people's attention from the real problems of the nation and the solution to prevent this outbreak is by worshipping in Mosques, Temples etc. But at this moment, the order was issued to halt the functioning of religious places including Mosques, Temples and Churches to contain the spread of COVlD-l9, in return of which public looked to be in shock and mild arguments between government officials and public reported in few places to reconsider this decision. But as the cases of Corona-Positive began to rise, people were then conscious. In these circumstances, the Qazis and other scholars in Bhatkal and neighbouring places fulfilled their duties by obeying government laws and asked the citizens to pray from home and avoid visiting Mosques. In this way, the grand chariot festival in Bhatkal and the festival-looking Friday congregational prayers in Mosques were called off.

Thus, the four Fridays passed out with no congregational prayers in Mosques, and even the holy month of Ramadan is giving knock to Muslims by next week. But unfortunately, the situation has pleaded people not to gather in Mosques and to obey the rules.