In an act of communal harmony, the Muslim community in Pandharpur town in Maharashtra’s Solapur district has decided not to sacrifice goats on Eid al-Adha, or Eid al-Bakra, as it coincides with Ekadashi this year.
Pandharpur is a temple town in Maharashtra.
Muslims of Pandharpur said they had decided to postpone the goat sacrifice for a few days so as not to interfere with Adhik Mas Ekadashi, an occasion that has deep religious significance for Hindus, news agency PTI reported. They took the decision as Bakra Eid and Adhik Mas Ekadashi will fall on the same day this year.
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“I used to live in Pandharpur and participated in various ceremonies at the temple. To honor the sentiments of Lord Vitthal’s devotees, we have decided not to offer goat sacrifices,” the agency quoted a member of the Muslim community as saying.
Adhik Maas Ekadashi is celebrated once every three years, and on this occasion, thousands of devotees go to Pandharpur to seek blessings. Another member of the Muslim community said that they decided “not to sacrifice goats on that day and will implement it later.”
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He also added that behind the decision is also the idea that the Muslim community in Pandharpur has deep faith in Lord Vithal. This is not the first time that the Muslims of Pandharpur have taken such a step. The man said that earlier too, the Muslim community in the town refrained from performing animal sacrifices on Eid al-Bakra whenever they faced a similar situation, the report said.
Eid Al Adha is celebrated all over India
Muslims across India celebrated Eid al-Adha on Thursday with early morning prayers in large gatherings.
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A man who offered prayers at Delhi’s Jama Masjid on Thursday morning said he wanted to convey a message of brotherhood on the occasion.
“We want this festival to be celebrated with great joy. We pray to God for the country’s progress, peace and brotherhood,” the man was quoted as saying by ANI news agency.
Security was tightened in cities across India on Thursday to ensure law and order. In the Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh, prayers were held amid tight security arrangements, as police were deployed at all holidays and mosques.
In Rajasthan, the Jannati Darwaza was inaugurated at the Khawaja Garib Nawaz Dargah during the early hours of Thursday in front of a huge crowd to gather and offer prayers.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
