The mood in Old Delhi says it all. Navratri and the festivities during the holy month of Ramadan seem to have overshadowed all other activities in and around the city.
The ground near Red Fort was a meeting point for people from both Hindu and Muslim communities where they sat together to have their Iftar meal. It was an historic event when the Luv Kush Ramlila Committee hosted an Iftar party where hundreds of Muslims ended their fast on the grounds where Ramlila was being held.
"After 32 years Ramadan and Navratri have coincided and Diwali will also be celebrated on the same day as the last Friday before Eid," said Jagat Sharma of Luv Kush Ramlila Committee. "Never before have the two communities celebrated together. And it has lent colour to the celebrations with people of both communities hugging and offering sweets to each other," he added.
The senior vice president of the Ramlila Committee, Bhai Meherbaan, is a Muslim. "Not just that, we have invited priests of all religions to Iftar which will send out a message of religious tolerance," said Ramkrishan Gupta, president of the Ramlila Committee.
Rizwan Ahmad, a shopkeeper in Old Delhi was equally enthusiastic. "It is not a matter of having food at an Iftar, but a feeling of oneness that the communities experience when they sit together to have their meal. I hope and pray that the goodwill between us remains," he said.
In a unique display of harmony, out of about 13,000 prisoners of Tihar Central Jail which is located here, some 2,500 of them, both Hindus and Muslims, have been fasting and offering prayers side by side.
Also, for every firework that lights the sky to mark the Hindu festival of Dasera, there are scores of Muslim artisans, who work behind the scenes day and night to bring together this annual spectacle. The burning of the three effigies of Ravana, Meghnad and Kumbhkaran every Dasera not only signifies the triumph of good over evil, but also brings the two communities closer at work.
K. K. Aggarwal of Shri Dharmic Leela Committee says: "Muslim artisans have a long association with Ramlila. Several artisans have been associated with us for the past 15-20 years. And most of them are Muslims. The interaction between the communities has always been positive."
As for the artisans working on these effigies, it is a matter of keeping the family tradition alive. It has little to do with religion. Ayub's family has been involved in the craft for generations. He says they know no other craft.
There are others like him who know of no other profession and rejoice with their Hindu brethren when the effigies go up in flames.
"It's a labour of several weeks and an art that involves fixing the fire crackers inside the effigies. And every time people, young and old, cheer on witnessing this spectacle we feel proud of our work," Ayub stated.
The leaders of both the communities as well as ordinary Hindus and Muslims hope more such events will be organised to eliminate any kind of lingering misunderstanding.
This year's festivities, including the series of Iftars, have proved that all religions can co-exist in the country, the men gathering at the site felt.
Although the Delhi Police have sounded an alert and made special security arrangements at places of worship, especially in the Walled City area, the policemen's faces betray little tension.
One police officer in the Jama Masjid area said: "It may seem quite a challenging task to handle festivals of both communities together and we are well prepared to avoid any kind of mischief. But we are convinced that both communities will enjoy the festivities together."