Eid celebrated with great pomp in capital, despite dampner blasts

New Delhi, Oct 2 (UNI) Gaiety and pomp marked Eid celebrations in the capital today with people indulging in a no-holds barred festive mood, despite the dampner of recent serial blasts.

Mosques, the centre of piety and charity, all over Delhi saw the faithful abounding in large numbers to offer their prayers after the month-long Ramzan fasting.

Massive security arrangements helped the festival pass off peacefully with strict vigil and patrol being carried out in the city through the day.

Senior police officials gave the credit of this to ''cooperation of itizens'' saying no untoward incident was reported from any quarter.

The historic Jama Masjid and the venerated Fatehpuri mosque in Old Delhi were two hubs where thousands gathered since early morning to offer 'the merciful' their 'namaz' which ended with greetings being exchanged cutting across age, class and religion.

Children with colourful clothes and white skull caps, holding fingers of their parents were a spectacle as they hugged each other to wish 'Eid Mubarak', at both places.

Fatehpuri mosque Imam Dr Mufti M Mukarram Ahmed in his prayer message condemned terrorism terming it ''un-Islamic'' and expressed sympathy to the terror victims.

Stressing that Muslims in India were nationalists and loyal, he said blasts here were made by anti-national forces.

Despite being a national holiday, markets opened for the festive spirited though surprisingly sales were much lower than previous years.

In Karol Bagh, which bore the maximum brunt of September 13 blasts, shopkeepers complained of 'sales sans shoppers' during Eid, while expecting the forthcoming 'puja season' to compensate for it.

This they attributed much to last months serial blasts, which claimed nearly two dozen lives and left scores others injured.

In Jamia Nagar, markets which often were seen crowded even on regular weekends saw shops almost deserted even on the eve of Eid, though sales of normal festive goods were ''just OK if not bad'', to quote Mehrajuddin, a sweetmeat shop owner.

Hindus all over the city wished their Muslim brethen on the festive day with several leaders, academicians and socialites visiting the homes of their friends and neighbours to savour the 'salana seviaan' (annual sweetmeat seviaan).

Charity, a nebulous ritual during and after Ramzan, was indulged in by most of those visiting mosques with beggars seen rejoicing another annual windfall.

UNI AN SB SK KP2113 New Delhi, Oct 2 (UNI) Alround gaiety and pomp marked Eid celebrations in the capital with the citizenry indulging in a no-holds barred festive mood, despite the recent dampner of serial blasts.

Mosques, the centre of piety and charity, all over Delhi saw the faithful abounding in large numbers to offer their prayers after the month-long Ramzan fasting.

Massive security arrangements saw the festival passed of peacefully with strict vigil and patrol being carried out all over the capital all through the day.

Senior police officials gave the credit of this to ''cooperation of citizens'' saying no untoward incident was reported from any quarter.

The historic Jama Masjid and the venerated Fatehpuri mosque in Old Delhi were two hubs where thousands gathered since early morning to offer 'the merciful' their 'namaz' which ended with greetings being exchanged cutting across age, class and religion.

Children with colourful clothers and white skull caps, clutching fingers of their parents were a spectacle as they hugged each other to wish 'Eid Mubarak', at both places.

Fatehpuri mosque Imam Dr Mufti M Mukarram Ahmed in his prayer message condemned terrorism terming it ''un-Islamic'' and expressed sympathy to the victims of terror.

Stressing that Muslims in India were nationalists and loyal, he said blasts here were made by anti-national forces.

Despite a national holiday, being Gandhi Jayanti, markets opened for the festive spirited though surprisingly sales were much lower than previous years.

In Karol Bagh, which took much of the brunt of September 13 blasts, shopkeepers complained of 'sales sans shoppers' during Eid, while expecting the forthcoming 'puja season' to compensate for it.

This they attributed much to last months serial blasts, which claimed nearly two dozen lives and left scores others injured.

In Jamia Nagar, markets which often were seen crowded eevn on regular weekends saw shops almost deserted even on the eve of Eid, though sales of normal festive goods were ''just OK if not bad'', to quote Mehrajuddin, a sweetmeat shop owner.

Hindus all over the city wished their Muslim brethen on the festive day with several leaders, academicians and socialites visiting the homes of their friends and neighbours to savour the 'salana seviaan' (annual sweetmeat seviaan).

Charity, a nebulous ritual during and after Ramzan, was indulged in by most of those visiting mosques with beggars seen rejoicing another annual windfall.

UNI AN