Guwahati: Muslim festival Eid-ul-Adha was observed peacefully across the northeast yesterday with thousands of Muslims thronged mosques in the region to offer the obligatory prayers on this Bakri Id.
Assam governor Jagdish Mukhi and chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal have extended their festive greetings to everyone and said they hoped this Eid will help to strengthen the tradition of communal harmony and brotherhood.
“May the festival of sacrifice strengthen the bond of brotherhood and further the tradition of amity and communal harmony in the state,” Sonowal said.
In Barak Valley, the temperature has been recorded around 37 °C during the whole day, yet hundreds of Muslims made it to mosques, Idgahs to offer the prayers.
A large obligatory prayer was held in Cachar district’s Itkhola Idgah Ground in Silchar conducted by Moulana Sabbir Ahmed Laskar, the Imam of Silchar Bada Masjid.
While Karimganj witnessed the largest Eid prayer held at Town Idgah Ground presided over by Maulana Ashad Uddin, an Islamic scholar, and teacher of Kazir Bazar Senior Madrassa.
In Hailakandi, the main prayer was held at Katlicherra Bus Stand Idgah and conducted by Moulana Sarimul Haque Laskar, chief advisor of North East Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamat, an Islamic social organization.
In Graham Bazaar, the prayers at Central Eidgah witnessed a congregation of over 3,000 Muslims who arrived to offer their Eid prayers..
In Jorhat, the four Eidgah maidans – Teok, Kakojan, Lahdoigarh, and Jorhat – witnessed a huge congregation of Muslims since the morning.
Among the four, Kakojan Idgah is the oldest. “Our Idgah was established in 1934 and it is the oldest in Jorhat district. Over 10,000 people offered their prayers here today,” said Saidul Hussain, a social worker at Kakojan.
He added, “seventeen jamats of Kakojan area organized the programme here. All classes of Muslim people took part in the prayer. A large number of local people belonging to Hindu religion also came to our Eidgah and offered their greetings to us.”
In Meghalaya, over 10,000 people gathered at the glass mosque of Madina Masjid alone to offer prayers.