|
Be it
Mammootty or common Muslims, Eid al-Azha touches all
Wednesday November 17, 2010 12:54:21 PM,
IANS
|
|
Thiruvananthapuram: Malayalam superstar Mammootty
wasn't the only one who took a break from work on Eid-ul-Azha.
Thousands of ordinary Muslim men and women in Kerala celebrated
the festival of sacrifice with prayers and feasting Wednesday.
The biggest crowds, all dressed in their best, were seen in Muslim
dominated Malappuram district besides Kozhikode, Kochi and
Thiruvananthapuram. Prayers were offered in mosques and specially
erected Eidgah centres.
In most places there were special sections for women to offer
prayers and they came in large numbers.
Mammootty, a devout Muslim, said he arrived at his home in Kochi
Tuesday night to take a day off from the shooting of the film
"August 15" here.
"This is one of the rare days that I take a day off from my busy
schedule because I want to be with my family besides attending
prayers with the people," said Mammootty.
Around 24 percent of Kerala's 3.2 crore population is Muslim,
making it the second biggest community in the state after Hindus.
Wednesday was a public holiday in the state.
Muslims sacrifice either a goat or a buffalo to commemorate the
great sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim who was so devoted, faithful
and obedient to god's will that he unhesitatingly agreed to
sacrifice his only son Ismail at his behest.
Moved by his paternal feelings and yet determined to follow
Allah's instructions, Ibrahim blindfolded himself. But when he
opened his eyes after the sacrifice, he found his son alive and a
slaughtered lamb at the altar instead.
Since Tuesday evening there have been huge crowds in front of
mutton stalls across the state. The sacrificial meat is
distributed after the Eid prayers to the family and friends.
Mohammed, a leading mutton seller in the main market of the
capital city, said sales have been good considering the price of
mutton.
"We have had good business and compared to the last Bakr-Eid, the
price of mutton has gone up by Rs.100 to touch Rs.350 a kg. We had
doubts about whether we could do good business, but now our stocks
have run out," said Mohammed.
At Kozhikode, the Joint Eid Committee decided to have just one Eid
Gah, or prayer centre. Set up on the beach side, thousands flocked
to it.
The festival coincides with the Haj pilgrimage to Makkah.
Salim Afsal, an IT professional, said as his parents have gone to
perform the Haj, he would spend the day with his brother.
"All of us attended the morning prayers in our family mosque and
the women folk are busy in the kitchen preparing lunch. After
lunch it would be a session where we would visit our relatives and
then it would be back to our homes," said Afsal.
|
|
Home |
Top of the Page |
|
 |
|
Comment on this article |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 News Pick |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Quick links