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Muslims celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr

     New Delhi: The Muslims and others celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr, the festival marking the end of the holy month of Ramzan, across India on Friday, ending the month-long fast, amidst tight security. The Royal Hilal Committee (Moon Sighting Committee) of the Shahi Masjid Committee of Fatehpuri Mosque declared after its meeting on Friday that the moon of Eid-ul-Fitr had been sighted, according to a spokesman of the mosque. In anticipation of the festival, large crowds of Muslims congregated outside various mosques and localities on Friday morning to wish each other on the occasion. Police in various cities maintained a strict vigil outside mosques and various localities to prevent untoward incidents of violence. Security was tight in and around the Jama Masjid in Delhi, where thousands of Muslims congregate every year to break their Ramadan fast. Hundreds of armed policemen were deployed in individual lanes and bylanes and additional forces are patrolling the narrow lanes around the mosque. Besides the Delhi Police, the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were also deployed in large numbers.

     The Eid celebrations in quake-hit Kashmir, however, were sombre in comparison. Dressed in new clothes, men and women swarmed the main mosque in Srinagar to offer prayers to mark the end of Ramazan. Eid al-Fitr is usuallly celebrated for two days in Kashmir. People said they were praying for an early rehabilitation of the residents of the border town of Uri, which was hit the hardest by the October 8 earthquake. "We prayed for the victims of the earthquake in Uri and may god lessen their sufferings. We also want to work for them. We should pray for them and I urge people to pray for the victims of this quake and hope that such an incident does not occur again," said Javed Sheikh, a resident. Over 74,000 people were killed by the quake in Pakistan and more than 1400 lost their lives in Indian Kashmir. The border areas of Uri, Kupwara and Baramulla in Indian Kashmir were the worst hit, with many houses buried under landslides and others developing cracks.

      In Delhi, Muslims from all walks of life congregated for special prayers in various mosques across the city, including the 17th century-built Jama Masjid, that was once used by the Mughal Emperor and members of his immediate family. People exchanged sweets and embraced each other on the occasion. "It holds importance as after one month of fasting and praying before the god does this holy day comes. We pray on the day and then the Eid is celebrated," said Mohammed Javed, an elderly Muslim.

     Eid, the biggest and most important holiday on the Islamic calendar, is traditionally celebrated for three days in Pakistan. Muslim clergy decides the date of Eid, on the basis of sighting of the moon. In Mumbai, special prayers were offered at the famous Haji Ali mosque, situated in the middle of the sea. The shrine hold great importance among the Muslims and people from world over irrespective of any caste or creed offer prayers at the shrine dedicated to a peer. It is said that Haji Ali was a wealthy Muslim merchant who renounced all his worldly belongings before embarking on a pilgrimage to Mecca. But unfortunately he died in Mecca and his casket miraculously drifted and came to the spot where the mosque and tomb were built by his devotes in the early 19th century.

     In Hyderabad, Muslims offered prayers to mark the occasion. For children, the festival is a special time for enjoying and getting gifts in the form of money, new clothes and spending their whole day out. The only drawback to the celebrations was the heavy deployment of security. Dozens of armed policemen patrolled the narrow lanes of crowded old quarters in various cities and at mosques to ensure a peaceful Eid. "I have never seen such a massive security arrangement in so many years and I think it is in the wake of the blasts that rocked the capital," said Tajuddin, a resident. "The police have stepped up security due to the recent blasts that his Delhi which is good for us," said Gyasuddin, another resident. In Lucknow, a heavy security blanket was thrown around Muslim- dominated areas. "Special security has been arranged in the city. 10 companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), two companies of Border Security Force (BSF), one Rapid Action Force(RAF) have been deployed in the city. We hope everything goes well," said R.N. Tripathi, District Magistrate of Lucknow.

    Meanwhile, security agencies are still analyzing traces of the high explosive RDX at the Saturday's bombsites and have also been trawling through cellphone records in their search for the suspects behind the blasts. They have also released sketches of a suspect in one of the three attacks but a breakthrough has eluded investigators. An obscure Kashmiri separatist group, Islami Inqilabi Mahaz, claimed it carried out the blasts but security experts said it is probably a front for the larger and better-known Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. Police are still verifying the claim.

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