Downpour fails to dampen Mumbai's Eid spirit

Mumbai, July 29: Unmindful of the heavy rain in Mumbai, Muslims came out in droves for the morning "namaaz" and celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr, here Tuesday morning.

Reports of peaceful and joyous Eid celebrations also came in from Muslim pockets in the state, including Thane, Ratnagiri, Raigad, Aurangabad, Pune, Nashik, Beed and other regions.

The festival marks the culmination of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan during which Muslims observe dawn-to-dusk fast.

In many of the 600-plus mosques in the city, the thanksgiving Eid prayers were held in two shifts to accommodate the huge crowds of faithful Tuesday morning.

At some mosques in the suburbs, special rain-proof marquees were erected to shelter the people coming to offer "namaaz".

After the prayers, families, friends, acquaintances and others were greeted with the traditional "Eid Mubarak", embracing one another and savouring delicious special Eid dish "sheer-khorma", a sweet preparation of milk, vermicelli and dry fruits.

Hindus, Christians and other community members went near mosques and housing complexes greeting, hugging their Muslim brethren and wishing them "Eid Mubarak" in Borivli, Kandivli, Malad, Jogeshwari, Andheri, Santacruz, Bandra, Kurla, Bhandup and other areas of south Mumbai.

In separate messages, Governor K. Sankaranarayanan, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar greeted the people of the state, saying the festival symbolises peace and universal brotherhood.

The spiritiual head of Dawoodi Bohra community Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin prayed for "peace and harmony in the Muslim world" and safety of the Muslim places of worship and pilgrimage.

The Syedna also prayed for the progress and prosperity of all Indians with His benevolence and mercy on all people of the country.

South Mumbai Congress legislator Annie Shekhar and a large number of supporters went to several mosques and greeted "Eid Mubarak" to Muslims and distributed flowers to them.

IANS