New Delhi, May 28 (IANS) Bakrid, also known as Eid al-Adha, is being celebrated with deep religious fervour and enthusiasm across the country on Thursday, as thousands of devotees gathered at mosques and Eidgahs from early morning to offer special prayers and mark one of the most significant festivals in Islam.

Large congregations of worshippers were witnessed at several places across the country, with people dressed in traditional attire participating in prayers and exchanging greetings with family members, friends, and neighbours.

Worshippers said the festival carries a message of “brotherhood, communal harmony, and peaceful coexistence”, while also reminding people about compassion, sacrifice, and charity.

Authorities made elaborate security arrangements in several cities to ensure that celebrations passed off peacefully and law and order were maintained during the festivities.

In the national capital, Delhi Police deployed heavy security arrangements around the historic Jama Masjid area on the occasion of Eid al-Adha.

People entering the mosque premises were allowed only after thorough security checks as part of precautionary measures taken to ensure public safety and maintain order during the celebrations.

Eid al-Adha, widely known as Bakrid in India, holds immense religious significance for Muslims across the world. The festival commemorates the devotion and sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim, who was willing to sacrifice his son in obedience to God’s command. The occasion symbolises unwavering faith, obedience to God, gratitude, compassion, forgiveness, sacrifice, and charity.

Families gathered to celebrate the festival with prayers, festive meals, and acts of kindness, while many people also distributed food and extended help to the underprivileged as part of the spirit of the occasion.

While Bakrid was celebrated in most parts of India on Thursday, some regions, including parts of Jammu and Kashmir, observed the festival on Wednesday.

As with other Islamic festivals, the date of Eid al-Adha depends on the sighting of the crescent moon. This year, religious authorities in several parts of India confirmed that the Dhul-Hijjah crescent moon was not sighted on the expected evening. As a result, the beginning of the Islamic month shifted by a day, leading to Bakrid being celebrated on May 28 in most states across the country.

–IANS

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