Eid al-Fitr celebrated with fervor across India

New Delhi: Auspicious Eid al-Fitr is being celebrated today. It marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan and is coupled with fanfare, merrymaking and gorging on delicious Eid delicacies.

The religious Eid is the first and only day in the month of Shawwal during which Muslims are not permitted to fast. The holiday celebrates the conclusion of the 29 or 30 days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan. The day of Eid, therefore, falls on the first day of the month of Shawwal.

The “festival of the breaking of the fast” begins when the moon rises on the final day of Ramadan, a holy month of fasting. The timing varies from country to country, with some following the moonrise in Mecca and others using local sightings. After a sighting of the first crescent of the new moon, a three-day festival is held in celebration.

On the day before prayers, people distribute a charity locally known as fitrana. Many people also avail themselves of this opportunity to distribute zakat, an Islamic obligatory alms tax of 2.5% of one’s annual savings. People also visit the homes of friends and relatives to offer Eid greetings.

Eid al-Fitr also marks every home brimming with delicacies such as Sheer Khurma, Korma, Nihari, Haleem, Biryani, Sheermal, Phirni to name a few.

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