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| Eid - sombre affair in Ajmer, WB | | | New Delhi | Oct 14
Muslims across the country today offered prayers at mosques and exchanged gifts and sweets on Eid-ul-Fitr after a month of fasting while the Ajmer Sharif blast and Rizwanur Rehman death cast a shadow on the festival in Rajasthan and West Bengal.
In the national capital, devotees thronged the historic Jama Masjid. Its Shahi Imam Ahmed Bukhari said security tips were announced over the microphone cautioning people not to touch any suspicious object for the first time this year.
Prayers were also offered at nearby Fatehpuri Masjid. "We also greeted our Hindu brothers and sisters for Dussehra and Diwali," its Naib Imam Mufti Mukkaram Ahmed said.
The festive mood was, however, missing in Ajmer with the people still coming to grips with October 11 bomb blast at the shrine of Sufi saint Khwaja Muinuddin Chisti.
Devotees wearing black arm-bands in mourning congregated at Shah Jaani Masjid in the complex to offer 'namaz' and a quiet Eid was observed with no beating of 'dhol' (drums), loudspeakers, 'qawwalis' or firing of cannonballs.
Many families refrained from preparing festive delicacies like Biryani and ate simple food while most worshippers chose old clothes instead of the new ones that herald the festival.
People in West Bengal celebrated the festival amid the Sachar Committee's indictment of the state government for the poor condition of Muslims and growing public anger over the probe into the unnatural death of Rizwanur Rehman.
Maulana Kari Fazlur Rehman, who led the 'namaz' in Kolkata told the congregation that the report should be an eye-opener on the pitiable condition of Muslims in the state.
There was also a relatively low turnout at Hyderabad's Mecca Masjid which witnessed twin blasts on May 18 that killed nine persons.
Markets in most old city areas were abuzz throughout the night as people shopped for new clothes, sweets and gifts before the menfolk headed for early morning prayers. Womenfolk stayed at home, making 'sevaiyan ki kheer' (vermicelli porridge), biryani and other delicacies.
In Uttar Pradesh which has the largest population of Muslims in the country, reports of the festival came in from Meerut, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, Bareilly, Aligarh, Agra and other towns while in Lucknow, the main prayers were held at Aishbagh idgah and Til Wali Masjid. |
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