Bhubaneswar: Muslims across the State celebrated Eid Al-Adha, also known as Bakr-Eid with fervour and gaiety on Saturday.
Festivities were found to be gripping people in cities like Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Bhadrak, Rourkela, Berhampur, Bolangir, Kendrapara with sizeable Muslim population offering special prayers at mosques, eidgahs and open grounds for communal peace and harmony.
Despite torrential rains lashing Cuttack, special arrangements were made for the Bakr-Eid celebrations. A large number of Hindu families were also found to be joining the Muslims at several places as a mark of peace and brotherhood.
In several places, Hindu families visited the houses of their Muslim friends and greeted them. Similarly Muslim families invited their Hindu neighbours to join them in community feast.
Large congregation of Muslims were seen at the mosques in Cuttack, Rourkela and Bhadrak.
It is a festival of sacrifice and we prayed Allah to give us courage to sacrifice for the nation and society for good cause. We prayed for communal peace, universal brotherhood and removal of human suffering.
- Arshin Siddique, a lecturer of Rourkela Government College.
Also known as the Feast of the Sacrifice, Eid Al-Adha is one of the two most important Islamic festivals. It commemorates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son to God and as per traditional beliefs, animals are sacrificed during the festival.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also extended his greetings to the Muslims on the occasion.