India celebrates Eid with prayers
New Delhi: India celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr on Saturday with people, dressed in traditional finery, offering prayers at mosques and Eidgahs, and families coming together for feasts.
Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of the fasting month of Ramzan.
In Delhi, a large number of people congregated at the historical Jama Masjid around 6:30 am to offer namaz. The special Eid prayers at Fatehpuri Masjid, Eidgah and Sunehri Masjid also drew large crowds.
People greeted each other after the prayers and took part in the festivities. Shops in the city’s main markets, especially those around Jama Masjid and Chandni Chowk, did brisk business as people shopped for the festival.
In Kashmir, the largest congregation of devotees was witnessed at the Hazratbal shrine on the banks of the Dal lake where former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah was among the notable persons to offer prayers.
However, authorities did not allow Eid prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid in the old city, a day after allowing Friday congregational prayers.
The biggest congregation in Jammu took place at Eidgah and Macca Masjid where hundreds of devotees performed Namaz-e-Eid and prayed for peace, development and prosperity of Jammu and Kashmir as well as the country.
In Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow, a special ‘namaz’ marking the festival was held at the Aishbagh Eidgah where the old and young were seen embracing each other and exchanging greetings.
On the occasion of Eid, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged people to celebrate the festival while taking all precautions against COVID-19.
“The CM has extended hearty greetings and best wishes to the people of the state on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr...
“On the occasion of Eid, everyone should take a pledge to further strengthen harmony. The chief minister has appealed to the people to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr by taking all precautions in view of the corona infection,” the Chief Minister’s Office said in a tweet.
In Mumbai, thousands offered prayers at mosques at places like Mohammad Ali Road, Bandra, Govandi and Kurla which have a sizeable population of Muslims.
