Bhubaneswar: People from the Muslim community thronged mosques across the state on Wednesday to offer namaz on occasion of Eid Ul-Adha, or Bakrid as it is colloquially known.
Clad in their finest attire, they hugged and greeted each other to mark the special day.
In Balasore, special arrangements were made to ensure hassle-free celebration. The twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack also saw people offering prayers in mosques and eidgah fields. After namaz, an animal is sacrificed and a feast is prepared thereafter. Community feast were also organised in Bhadrak, Rourkela, Berhampur, Balangir, Kendrapara to celebrate the occasion.
The Muslim community at Unit-IV mosque were also seen collecting donations for flood ravaged-Kerala.
The festival celebrates the Prophet Abraham, a revered figure for Muslims, Christians and Jews alike. Abraham was so close to God that he is known as “God’s Friend”
Legend has it that one day God commanded Abraham in a dream to sacrifice his eldest son, Ishmael. The dreams recurred and Abraham and his family realized that such it was actually a Divine Command from God. The family stayed steadfast and unflinchingly submitted to God’s Will. Upon reaching the sacrificial ground and rejecting the guiles of the Devil on the way, Abraham prepared to kill his beloved child. Just as he is about to commit the deed, God changed Ishmael for a ram.
God did not want Abraham to actually kill his own son; He only meant to test Abraham’s faith. Having passed this test, Abraham and Ishmael went on to build the Kaaba in Mecca the holiest site in Islam.
Muslims around the world commemorate the faith and sacrifice of Abraham on this day with a special prayer; those who can afford it do so by sacrificing a head of cattle, such as a goat or sheep. At least a third of the meat from each sacrifice is given to the poor.
Eid ul Adha also marks the end of the Haj, the Islamic Pilgrimage.
Renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik sculpted a sand art on Eid on Puri sea beach and tweeted, “”#EidMubarak”On the eve of #EidAlAdha ,I extend my warm greetings & best wishes to all. One of My sandart at puri beach, India.”
“#EidMubarak“On the eve of #EidAlAdha ,I extend my warm greetings & best wishes to all. One of My sandart at puri beach, India pic.twitter.com/VULH6xkn3z
— Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) August 22, 2018
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also wished the Muslim community on the eve of Eid and tweeted, “Warm wishes to all on Eid-ul-Zuha. May the spirit of Eid bring joy & prosperity in our lives and further us on path of harmony, compassion and brotherhood. #EidMubarak.”
Warm wishes to all on Eid-ul-Zuha. May the spirit of Eid bring joy & prosperity in our lives and further us on path of harmony, compassion and brotherhood. #EidMubarak pic.twitter.com/9eE77EBKbY
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) August 22, 2018
Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan tweeted, “Warm greetings and #EidMubarak to everyone. May this Eid-al-adha, the almighty shower his blessings on each one of us. On this blessed occasion let us pledge to sacrifice our evils and foster brotherhood, harmony and happiness for a better society.”
Warm greetings and #EidMubarak to everyone. May this Eid-al-adha, the almighty shower his blessings on each one of us. On this blessed occasion let us pledge to sacrifice our evils and foster brotherhood, harmony and happiness for a better society. pic.twitter.com/9NuQteK7Vw
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) August 22, 2018
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee President Niranjan Patnaik tweeted, “Wishing everybody a very happy Eid Ul Adha! This beautiful festival is reminder that we should help those who are less fortunate than us.”
Wishing everybody a very happy Eid Ul Adha! This beautiful festival is reminder that we should help those who are less fortunate than us. pic.twitter.com/VtnaDhPG3a
— Niranjan Patnaik (@NPatnaikOdisha) August 22, 2018
Former Lok Sabha Member Baijayant Panda tweeted, “Best wishes to all celebrating the festival of #EidAlAdha from @PandaJay. May the spirit of brotherhood, compassion & cohesiveness soar high!! Enjoy the day spreading peace & love. #EidMubarak.”
Best wishes to all celebrating the festival of #EidAlAdha from @PandaJay. May the spirit of brotherhood, compassion & cohesiveness soar high!! Enjoy the day spreading peace & love. #EidMubarak. https://t.co/4e5hS7yksZ
— Office of Jay Panda (@mp_office) August 22, 2018
