By Mohd. Ismail Khan, TwoCircles.net
Hyderabad: Eid-ul-Fitr is being celebrated with all its enthusiasm across the city of Hyderabad today. Whole city was decked up with posters and banners from various political parties and organizations wishing Muslims ‘Eid Mubarak’.
Special Eid prayers were held in several parts of the city, the largest among them was at Eidgah Miralam which witnessed nearly 3 lakh Muslims turning up for Eid parayer. Prayer at MIralam was held at 10a.m. which was led by Maulana Abdullah Quraishi Al-Azhari an octogenarian Islamic scholar and Khateeb of Mecca Masjid.
In older part of city Mecca Masjid attracted huge gathering of Muslims for Eid prayer, prayer started in Mecca Masjid at 10a.m. The historic and grand old mosque of Hyderabad which has a capacity 10,000 people got filled to its capacity with devotes, and the queues of Namazis stretched as far as Charminar. At Shahi-Masjid Bah-e-Ama Eid prayer was held at 9a.m. and at Ujala Shah Eidgah at 10a.m. which also saw huge congregation of Muslims.
Heavy police deployment was made throughout the city, Police Bandobast during festivals is not a new thing in the city, but special police arrangements were made on the backdrop of hate rumor campaign and minor exodus of North East Indian from Hyderabad fearing from rumors of Muslim retaliatory attacks after Eid. Special police battalions were deployed in Tarnaka and Amberpet area were people with Mongolid features were huge in number. City traffic police issued traffic restrictions from 8a.m. to 11a.m. in several parts of the city to facilitate Mammoth congregation of Muslims in prayer grounds.
Every Eid prayer meeting in Hyderabad performed special Dua for the protection of life, liberty and property of the Muslims of Syria, Assam, and Burma a manifestation of universal brotherhood which Islam propagates.
Many activists of different NGO’s and members of Jamat-e-Islami Hind and Students Islamic Organization organized donation counters for conflict ridden Assam and Myanmar Muslims, which got overwhelming and positive response.
The special highlight of the special Eid Dua was Muslims in almost every Eidgah prayed for unity and integrity of the nation, in the backdrop of Assam violence and NE people exodus which is threatening the unity of India.
Several political leaders from different communities reached different Eidgahs in skullcaps greeted Muslims by hugging them and Wising Eid Mubarak. Even BJP state president G. Kishan Reddy was spotted in Amberpet Eidgah in his assembly constituency wearing a skullcap embracing Muslims and giving greetings of Eid.
A night before Eid special stores were setup in many narrow lanes of Muslim dominated localities, selling dry fruits and vermicelli (sevai) as Muslims in this region as per the age old custom prepare different varieties of Sheer Qorma on Eid, no wonder that 32 extra tankers of milk was supplied in many localities of Hyderabad before Eid.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minster N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, Governor E.S.L. Narshiman and leader of the opposition N. Chandrababu naidu extended their Eid greetings through press statements. In his Eid message chief minister said, “Eternal values preached by Prophet Mohammed (p.b.u.h) are very much significant and relevant for every generation. Hope this festival would strengthen the bonds of love compassion and mutual understanding between different communities.”
Mr. Naidu said in his greetings, “Ramzan is an occasion to dedicate ourselves for the betterment of the society by following disciplined life. Islam propagates strength of an individual should be used for the wellbeing of masses.”