Mangaluru: Muslims from the coastal belt of Karnataka and other districts celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr on Saturday, July 18 with traditional gaiety and pomp as greetings of ‘Eid Mubarak’ and ‘Taqabbal allahu minna wa minkum’ (May Allah accept it from you and us) were exchanged with gentle handshakes and affectionate hugs. People wore new clothes, visited their relatives houses and exchanged special sweet dishes, and enjoyed a day of special cuisine.

Children, youth and elderly men embracing each other was a familiar sight in all the masjids, while Khateebs from the members of the mosques and Idgahs gave a clarion call to the Ummah to remain united in the face of adversities and strive to establish peace in the country. The focal point of Eid prayers, as usual was the masjids in the city, the traditional congregation at the Idgah Masjid on Light House Hill.

Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of the month of Ramadan and beginning of the Shawwal month. The sight of moon on the last evening of the month of Ramzan, also known as Ramadan, is greeted with grateful voices which hail the greatness of the Almighty Allah by praying in unison, ‘Allahu Akbar’.

A large number of devotees had gathered at the historic Masjid braving the rains, but lack of protective shelter meant people had to offer Namaz getting drenched from head to toe. But compared to previous years the turnout at the Masjid was low as many devotees preferred to offer namaz in the mosques.

The chants of Takbeer reverberated today morning as thousands of Muslims offered Eid-ul-Fitr prayers despite heavy rains.

The Eid prayers and Qutba was performed under the leadership of Mangaluru Khazi Twaqa Ahmed Musliyar. “Ramadan was a month of training for all of us. We should continue living a virtuous life even after the holy month,” the Khazi said in his Eid message.

Masjidunnoor in Hampankatta, Taqwa Masjid in Pumpwell, Ibrahim Khaleel Masjid near State Bank, Jamia Masjid in Kudroli and Kachi Memon Masjid in Bunder were overcrowded with devotees. Eid prayers were also held at Central Juma Masjid in and Salsabeel Masjid in Ullal and Huda Masjid in Thokkottu.

A large number of women devotees also offered Eid prayer in some of the Masjids. “The number of women participating in Eid prayer has been continuously increasing in recent years thanks to the Islamic awakening in coastal Karnataka”, said a Muslim cleric.

Police have made elaborate security arrangements across the district to ensure peace and harmony during the festival.