NEW DELHI, MAY 28— Historic religious sites and local neighborhood prayer grounds across India filled to capacity on Thursday morning as the country’s Muslim community celebrated Eid ul-Adha with traditional fervor and solemn prayers.
The National Stock Exchange, banking institutions, and central government offices closed for the day to mark the gazetted public holiday, which saw massive turnouts for the special Namaz prayers in both metropolitan cities and rural districts.
Security personnel and municipal workers maintained a close deployment around prominent gathering spots to manage traffic and ensure orderly assemblies. In the national capital, thousands of worshippers stood in neat rows stretching outside formal structures into adjacent avenues, mirroring similar scenes at Eidgah grounds in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal.
“We pray today for the prosperity of our families and the continued peace of our nation,” Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, a prominent Islamic scholar, noted during his address to congregants in Lucknow. He stated that the act of sharing food and resources during the three-day festival highlights the essential role of charity in everyday life.
Marketplaces adjacent to historic quarters saw heavy foot traffic as families prepared elaborate traditional feasts featuring specialty meat dishes, kebabs, and vermicelli desserts. Merchants reported sustained sales of festive apparel and accessories, noting that the holiday brings together people from various backgrounds in shared public spaces.
State health and municipal agencies issued specific public advisories regarding waste disposal to assist residents during the core sacrificial rituals. Organizers affirmed that local voluntary groups worked in coordination with civic departments to ensure neighborhood cleanliness was restored promptly by Thursday evening.
