Eid-Ul-Fitr, one of the main festivals of the Muslims, is celebrated with great fervour in Kashmir. The festival marks the end of Holy Month of Ramadan, which is the month of fasting for the Muslims. During this month they fast from dawn to dusk. Their fasting is different from the way the Hindus fast during the Navratras, where certain kinds of food/fruits are allowed. This is more vigorous, similar to the Karva Chautt Vrat or fast, which the women of the Hindu community in North India keep, for the long lives of their husbands.
The Muslims fast for thirty consecutive days, for their
spiritual upliftment and they start following this tradition as soon as they
hit puberty. At the end of the month the festival of Eid-Ul-Fitr is celebrated.
The word Eid is derived from the Arabic word Awdat which
means to return, to turn or to recur. So in this context the word means
a recurring event. According to Ibnu-Arabi, 'Eid' is called so because it returns a renewed happiness
each year. But with time, the context of the word has changed and it's known as a festivity.
The story behind the origin of the two Eids goes back to what has been mentioned by Muslim Ahmad.
He states that the Prophet Muhammad reached Madinah, in the days of Jahlliyah- what the Muslims claim to be were the days of ignorance, much like the Christians term it Paganism. He saw the people celebrating two days of amusement- One was the day of Nahroz, which is the first day of spring, akin to Baisakhi which is celebrated in North India. The second day that they celebrated was the final day of the year. These two days were replaced by the day of Nahar and the day of Fitr- the day of sacrifice and the day of breaking. These two Jahliyyah traditions became the Muslim festivals of Eid-Ul- Fitr and Eid-al-Adha.
The story behind the origin of the two Eids goes back to what has been mentioned by Muslim Ahmad.
He states that the Prophet Muhammad reached Madinah, in the days of Jahlliyah- what the Muslims claim to be were the days of ignorance, much like the Christians term it Paganism. He saw the people celebrating two days of amusement- One was the day of Nahroz, which is the first day of spring, akin to Baisakhi which is celebrated in North India. The second day that they celebrated was the final day of the year. These two days were replaced by the day of Nahar and the day of Fitr- the day of sacrifice and the day of breaking. These two Jahliyyah traditions became the Muslim festivals of Eid-Ul- Fitr and Eid-al-Adha.
There are various views as to whether it is compulsory for
each individual to offer the special prayer of Eid. But in Kashmir, one finds no disagreement on this matter. A
congregation of more than a lakh gets together each year at the Jama Masjid.
But it is at the famous Eidgah ground in Downtown Srinagar, where the gathering
is the largest. The Mirwaiz, usually leads the prayer at Eidgah but for a few years now, this hasn't been allowed.
This year, in showing solidarity with the Palestinians against
the terrible carnage that is taking place in Gaza, the mood in the Valley seems
to be low-key. Shop keepers are complaining about the low foot fall. But looking at the photographs of massacred Muslim children during the month of
Ramadhan, has made people feel less celebratory. Geelani has asked the public to protest for 30 minutes after the Eid Salah.
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| Eid-Ul-Fitr |
