Muslims offer prayers on Eid Al-Adha

Bhubaneswar: Clad in their finest attire, people from the Muslim community today thronged various mosques, eidgahs and open grounds across the State to offer namaz on occasion of Eid Al-Adha.

Cities including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Balasore, Bhadrak, Rourkela, Berhampur, Bolangir, Kendrapara wore a festive look as people hugged and greeted each other to mark the special day.

Special arrangements were made in order to ensure hassle free celebrations as people thronged to mosques in large numbers to offer namaz. “I wish all Eid Mubarak. We offered namaz and sacrifices as per tradition,” said a resident of Balasore town who had reached the mosque to offer prayers.

Similarly, a huge population thronged the various mosques and eidgah fields in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar and offered prayers. As per tradition, after namaz, an animal is sacrificed and a feast is prepared thereafter. The meat is then cooked and distributed among friends, families and poor.

In several places, non-Muslim families visited the houses of their Muslim friends and greeted them. Similarly Muslim families invited their non-Muslim friends and neighbours to join them in community feast.

“Ei ul-adha is the festival of sacrifice for the larger interest of mankind,” said a devotee who reached the Qadam-E-Rasool in Cuttack on the occasion.

“After offering prayers in the mosque we will return home to relish the delicacies prepared at our homes. Particularly, children and youngsters adorned in new clothes will visit their friends and celebrate the festival. We have invited our non-Muslim friends to join us in the festivities,” said a resident of Bhubaneswar at Unit-IV mosque.

The Muslim community at Unit-IV mosque were seen collecting donation for flood ravaged-Kerala.

Also known as the festival of sacrifice, Ei ul-adha or Bakrid is one among the two eid. The other is Eid ul-fitr. It marks the end of Hajj- an annual pilgrimage to Mecca which Muslim devotees take up once in their lifetime.

It falls on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, as per the Islamic lunar calendar and commemorates with Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son to God and as per traditional beliefs, animals are sacrificed during the festival.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, former Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and OPCC chief Niranjan Patnaik took to twitter to wish the people on Eid ul-adha.

Warm wishes to all on Eid-ul-Zuha. May the spirit of Eid bring joy & prosperity in our lives and further us on path of harmony, compassion and brotherhood. #EidMubarak pic.twitter.com/9eE77EBKbY

— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) August 22, 2018

#EidMubarak ??????
May the spirit of sacrifice and brotherhood bring good cheer to all, and succour to those in need...

— Baijayant Jay Panda (@PandaJay) August 22, 2018