Srinagar: Eid prayers were offered on Monday throughout Jammu and Kashmir with the largest congregation of devotees offering these prayers at the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar.
Thousands of devout Muslims gathered at various Eidgahs throughout the union territory (UT), offering thanksgiving prayers on Eid-ul-Fitr following the completion of the holy Ramzan month of fasting.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and former CM Farooq Abdullah joined the devotees at the Hazratbal shrine to offer Eid prayers.
Children accompanied their fathers to many places, wearing new clothes to display their joy on the occasion.
Eid prayers were also offered at various other places in Srinagar city as well as all other districts of Budgam, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam in the Valley.
In Jammu, the largest Eid gathering was seen at the Eidgah ground in the city, where hundreds of Muslims offered Eid prayers.
Hindu and Sikh friends and neighbours greeted their Muslim friends and neighbours on the occasion.
Scenes of communal harmony were noticed at various other places in the Jammu division, including Poonch, Rajouri, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Reasi, Udhampur, Samba and Kathua.
Authorities had made adequate arrangements of security and sanitation at various prayer grounds to ensure that the devotees did not face any inconvenience while offering their prayers.
Eid prayers were not allowed at the Eidgah grounds in old city Srinagar area, as the officials of the Waqf board said these had not been allowed because of renovation/construction going on at the ground.
Senior religious and political leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who was scheduled to offer Eid prayers at the Eidgah ground in Srinagar, claimed that he had been put under house arrest by the authorities.
There are a number of charitable institutions in Kashmir that take care of orphans and destitute people. These institutions depend on donations from the public. During the last two decades, the culture of donating money and help to genuine charitable institutions has grown in Kashmir.
Well-to-do families of locals are known to lavishly donate to such institutions so that the needy are not left out of the joy and gaiety that accompanies the Eid festivities.
Eid prayers have peacefully ended at all the places in J&K, and no report of any untoward incident has come from anywhere.
(IANS)
