Religious fervour marks Eid celebrations

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 16

The morning air in the city was different on Saturday. The reason being Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations coupled with the smiling weather Gods. All roads today lead to mosques located at Field Gunj, Sunet and the Civil Lines.

Devotees clad in new clothes and adorning caps offered prayers and rushed to nearby shops to buy sweets for the family. Also knows as ‘Meethi Eid’, sweets are an integral part of the festivities on the occasion.

Even sweetmeat shops prepared special ‘seviyaan’ and ‘rasmalai’. Special stalls of eatables were also set up near mosques in the city.

Eid celebrates the conclusion of 29 to 30 days of dawn to sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan.

“Today is the day full of sweetness as my mother has prepared lot of sweet dishes. We will be exchanging these with our relatives. Many guests will also be visiting us today,” said Farheen, a seven-year-old girl from the Civil Lines.

“My breakfast today was sheer ‘khurma’ in which ‘seviyaan’ are cooked with dates and milk. Our family had it before offering Eid prayers. I had asked my father to bring ‘rasmalai’ and ‘cham cham’ from a sweetmeat shop after offering prayers,” she added.

Meanwhile, Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid Milan celebrations were also organised by the Directorate of Students Welfare at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University. Dr AS Nanda, Vice-Chancellor of university, was the chief guest on the occasion. Muslim students from India and abroad, who are studying at the university, were invited along with other students from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU).

Dr SS Hassan, Assistant Professor, highlighted the importance of Eid-ul-Fitr. He said, “The month of Ramzan is sacred in Islam. During this month, Muslims fast daily from morning till evening. The purpose of this ritual is to understand the pain of those poor, who have no food to eat.”

While describing the importance of charity (Zakat) in Islam, he said, “You have no right to enjoy food if your neighbour is hungry.”

Congratulating all on the festival, Dr Nanda said, “Eid gives message of international brotherhood. We will make celebrations a permanent feature because Muslim students, who are studying here, are sitting far away from their homeland. As the second home, its duty of the university to provide them warmth and feeling of being at home.”