Muslims across India celebrated Eid-ul-Adha, popularly known as Bakrid, with religious fervour, special prayers, and messages of peace and brotherhood on Thursday, as authorities enforced elaborate security arrangements to ensure peaceful festivities.
In Uttar Pradesh, large congregations gathered at Eidgahs and mosques across several districts. In Amethi, police personnel were deployed near mosques and Eidgahs, while Superintendent of Police Saravanan T personally monitored the arrangements. In Deoria, devotees offered Bakrid prayers at the Malviya Road Eidgah amid heavy security presence, with district officials supervising law and order arrangements.
People in Hardoi gathered in large numbers at the Bilgram Chungi Eidgah, where City Magistrate Sanjay Kumar said prayers across the Kotwali city area concluded peacefully. Residents also expressed satisfaction over the arrangements made by authorities.
In Gorakhpur, worshippers offered prayers at the Dargah Mubarak Khan Shaheed, while in Noida, authorities remained on high alert. Joint Commissioner of Police Rajeev Narain Mishra said prayers were held at more than 180 mosques across Noida, Greater Noida, and Central Noida, with drones, Quick Response Teams (QRTs), and reserve police forces deployed for surveillance and security.
Uttar Pradesh Minister Danish Azad Ansari offered prayers near the Vidhan Sabha in Lucknow and extended greetings, calling for peace, harmony, and communal unity. Moradabad witnessed a massive turnout at Eidgahs from early morning, with police, paramilitary personnel, and fire brigade teams deployed to ensure smooth celebrations. In Muzaffarnagar, Eid prayers concluded peacefully under CCTV surveillance and tight security arrangements, while officials appealed to people to maintain cleanliness and follow proper guidelines during animal sacrifice rituals.
In Delhi, thousands gathered at Jama Masjid to offer Eid-ul-Adha prayers.
Maharashtra also witnessed large-scale celebrations, with devotees assembling near Jama Masjid on Malvani Road in Mumbai's Malad area. Similar scenes were reported from Vasai-Virar and Navi Mumbai's Sanpada area, where worshippers prayed for peace, prosperity, and brotherhood amid adequate police deployment.
Muslims across Tamil Nadu celebrated Bakrid with prayers, charity, and community gatherings. In Chennai, celebrations were held in areas including Perambur, Otteri, Royapuram, Purasawalkam, Anna Nagar, Ice House, Washermanpet, Tondiarpet, and Kodungaiyur. Thousands attended special prayers at mosques and designated prayer grounds amid tight security and traffic arrangements.
In Tirunelveli district's Melapalayam locality, large congregations gathered from the early hours of the morning for Eid prayers. Similar scenes were witnessed across districts including Cuddalore, Madurai, and Tirupathur, where devotees assembled at Eidgahs, mosques, and open grounds.
Following prayers, many families performed the traditional Qurbani ritual by sacrificing permitted animals, with a portion of the meat distributed among relatives, neighbours, and the poor in keeping with Islamic traditions. Religious scholars highlighted the values of sacrifice, compassion, charity, and communal harmony associated with Bakrid.
Meanwhile, in Rajasthan's Jaipur, Eid-ul-Adha prayers were conducted peacefully under tight security arrangements.
Eid-ul-Adha commemorates Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to Allah's command, symbolising devotion, faith, and sacrifice. According to Islamic belief, Allah replaced his son with a sheep as a reward for Ibrahim's unwavering loyalty.
(With inputs from IANS)
