Eid-ul-Fitr celebrated with customary colour and verve

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

New Delhi, Oct 24 (UNI) Eid-ul-Fitr, the festival that marks the culmination of the fasting month of Ramadan, was celebrated with much fanfare and fervour in most parts of the country today.

Sunni Muslims and majority Shias in Kashmir, Leh, Drass, Nobra, Zanaskar and Pangrah and the Sunni community in Mumbai will celebrate the festival tomorrow.

In Uttar Pradesh too, the festival will be celebrated tomorrow.

In the national capital, the festival was celebrated after the new moon for the month of Shawal was sighted last night.

Muslims offered prayers in mosques across Delhi early in the morning. Scores of people offered 'Namaz' at the main congregations in the Jama Masjid in the Walled City which has been abuzz with activity since late last night.

President A P J Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi greeted the Muslim franternity, in particular, and the people, in general, on the occasion.

In his message, Dr Kalam, said, ''On the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, I extend my best wishes to all my people in India and abroad.'' The Prime Minister, in his message, said the festival brings to the fore the ''noble instincts'' of the people and evokes feelings of ''brotherhood, compassion and sharing''.

Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and Delhi Lt Governor B L Joshi also greeted the people on the occasion.

However, confusion prevailed in the Uttar Pradesh capital over offering of Namaaz-e-Eid-ul-Fitr between the members of the Shia and Sunni sects.

While Sunni clerics claimed to have received verification of sighting of moon around 0215 hrs today, Shias maintained neither the moon was sighted nor was there any verification.

A section of Sunnis, too, would celebrate the festival tomorrow.

Amid much confusion of Eid falling today, the Markazi Chand Committee (MCC) declared that the festival would be celebrated tomorrow, October 25.

Meanwhile, UP Governor T V Rajeswar and Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav visited Eidgah in Lucknow and wished the Muslim community on the occasion.

Andhra Pradesh Governor Rameshwar Thakur also extended warm greetings and good wishes to all Muslim brethren on Eid-ul-Fitr.

As part of the Eid festival, an estimated 20 million Muslim population in West Bengal took part in numerous congregations held in different parts of the state in the morning.

The main gathering was held at Red Road in Central Kolkata, where more than 100,000 members of the Muslim community took part and performed the Namaz, conducted by the city's principal Imam Maulana Kari Fazlur Rehman, who prayed for peace amity and brotherhood among all communities. Similar congretions were also held in at least six places in and around the city.

The people also exchanged greetings after performing the Namaz.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Lt Gen (Retd) S K Sinha and Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad felicitated the people of the state on the occasion.

Bihar Governor R S Gavai and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar extended warm greetings and good wishes to the people on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr and exhorted all to reaffirm their pledge and commitment to peace, love, hormony and spiritual oneness.

Eid-ul-Fitr was also celebrated in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh Union Territory along with Manipur, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Extending his greeting on the occasion, Himachal Pradesh Governor V S Kokje and Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh felicitated the people of the state on Eid-Ul-Fitr.

In Mumbai, the Shia sect among the Muslims community, celebrated Eid today while the Sunni community will celebrate the festival tomorrow.

UNI TEAM SHB RK1915

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