Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala): Eid-ul-Fitr, which marks the culmination of the Muslim holy month of Ramzan, was observed in Kerala on Friday. Earlier, Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Ahmed Bukhari said Eid would be celebrated across the country on June 16, as there was no sight of the moon anywhere.
However, hundreds of people offered prayers at Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium here to mark the end of the holy month. Along with devotees, Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor, was also present at the venue.
Elsewhere in the country, locals thronged markets in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district for last-minute purchases. Meanwhile, an exhibition of rare Quranic manuscripts was organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages in Srinagar.
The festival is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal, the 10th month of Islamic lunar calendar. It also symbolises peace and brotherhood. On Eid, people wear new clothes and visit holy shrines to seek blessings of the divine. The festival is marked with feasts and the meeting of families, relatives and friends, where they exchange greetings and gifts with each other.
The date and time of Eid differ in various countries, depending upon the sighting of the crescent moon. While Australia and New Zealand will ring in the festival on Saturday, Singapore and Malaysia are observing it today. Eid is also being celebrated in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates today.
ANI