#Kashmir celebrates Eid-ul-Fitr PTIPosted online: Fri Aug 09 2013, 12:40 hrs Srinagar :Barring protests at some places, Eid-ul Fitr was on Friday celebrated across Kashmir with thousands of devotees flocking the mosques, shrines andprayer grounds in the Valley to offer the special prayers. Dressed in their best, Muslims - men and women of all ages accompanied by children made a beeline to the Eidgahs (prayer grounds), mosques and shrines tooffer prayers, marking the end of the fasting month of Ramzan. The fasting month came to an endon Thursday with the sighting of the crescent moon as Muslims follow the lunar calendar. The biggest gathering of the devotees was witnessed at Hazratbal Shrine with around 60,000 people while Eidgah ground in old city recorded an attendance of 35,000 devotees. Tourist Reception Centre ground near Lal Chowk also witnessed a large attendance of around 25,000 people, official sources said, adding over 10,000 Muslims offered prayers at Syed Yaqoob Shah Shrine at Sonawar. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah were among those who offered prayers at the Hazratbal shrine, sources said. Large gathering were also witnessed at Jenab Sahib Soura, Makhdoom Sahib, Iqra Masjid and Jamia Masjid Barzulla. Reports of Eid celebration and congregational prayers were also received from all major towns anddistrict headquarters of the Valley,sources said. While Eid prayers passed off peacefully in most parts of the Valley, violent protests erupted soon after the prayers at Eidgah in Old City and Hyderpora in Civil Lines area. Reports of protests were also received from Sopore town in north Kashmir Baramulla district and Anantnag town in south Kashmir, the sources said. Hardline Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani had calledfor peaceful protests across the Valley to protest against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru inside Tihar Jail in February this year. All the top ranking separatist leaders including Geelani, chairman of moderate faction of Hurriyat Mirwaiz Umar Farooq andJKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik have been placed under house arrest as a preventive measure, sources said
Posted on: Fri, 09 Aug 2013 13:46:39 +0000
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