Eid-Al-Fitr or 'meethi eid' is being celebrated all across India today (25th May, 2020). It is the end of the holy month of Ramadan and is celebrated across the world with much fervour. This year, due to Coronavirus pandemic, the festive cheers have been marred - also because hundreds of people have been affected by the pandemic and have lost their jobs, earnings and family members. However, Michelin-Star chef Vikas Khanna has stepped up in solidarity with those who are affected and has organised the "World's Largest Eid Feast" in Mumbai to feed nearly 1.75 lakhs people on the occasion.
The world-renowned chef, who has also distributed about 4 million of dry ration meals to the needy across India amidst the COVID-19 crisis, has constantly been updating about the Eid fest on Twitter. On May 18, chef Khanna tweeted about organising the world's largest Eid feast with 100,000+ kgs of dry ration, fresh-dry fruits, spices, kitchen utensils, chais, juices etc.
The feast - that began on Friday - had the food being collected at the Haji Ali Dargah. It was then loaded in trucks and distributed around Mohammed Ali Road, Dharavi and Mahim Dargah in Mumbai with the help of over 200 volunteers and personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) while following all guidelines of social distancing.
Mumbai city in Maharashtra is one of the worst-affected by COVID-19 in India. The Eid feast in fact fed about 2 lakh people in Mumbai on Friday itself, Khanna announced on Twitter.
When the 48-year-old chef tweeted about his initiative, he was inundated with tremendous support from companies, people and brands, offering any sort of logistic, essential or materialistic help for the meals. People across the world lauded the chef for the move with many appreciating the positivity it brings amid the dark times of COVID-19.
Chef Khanna, who is based in New York and cannot travel to India due to travel restrictions, has been coordinating with the teams through phone. His initiative of 'Fuel Stations to Food Stations' has also been gaining appreciation from the masses for delivering ration across 79 cities in India. It is soon to become operational across highways in India to distribute food to hundreds of thousands of labourers and migrant workers who are undertaking long and tiring journeys to return to their towns and villages.
Coronavirus might have dampened the festive cheer but hasn't diminished the spirit we have.