New Delhi, Jul 7 A large number of Muslims offered special prayers in mosques and eidgahs this morning, kick-starting Eid celebrations in the national capital. Throngs of people in their festive best turned up for special prayers which mark the end of month-long Ramzan, at major mosques in the city, including historic Jama Masjid Fathepuri Masjid and Hazrat Nizamuddin, as well as eidgahs in the city. After the prayers, people exchanged Eid greetings and gifts. Festivities gripped Jama Masjid and Chandni Chowk areas where people were busy buying sweets and savouries to welcome friends and relatives. Ecstatic children, who were gifted ‘Eidee’ money by parents and elders, were at the forefront of the festivities, buying toys and other items from shops around the mosques. People also gave alms to the needy who had gathered around the mosques and Eidgahs. Markets in various Muslim-dominated areas in the city have been decked up on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the most joyous days in the Islamic calendar. Special arrangements were made by the Delhi Police to manage the crowd and ensure safety and security around religious places in the city. Ramzan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is observed as a fasting period by Muslims who abstain from food and water from sunrise to sunset and it culminates in Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations.
