Eid being observed across the nation, President, PM and leaders extend greetings

Kathmandu / July 7: Muslims across the country are celebrating Edi-ul-Fitr with zest and zeal today.

The great festival of the Islamic community is being observed with great gaiety and gusto by reciting special Namaz, offering prayers in mosque, receiving blessings from the elders and giving blessings to juniors.

The festival, which marks the conclusion of a month-long fasting of the Muslims during the month of Ramadan, falls on the first day of the tenth month according to the Arabic calendar.

In Nepal, the festival is being observed today as the new moon-sighting on the last day of the ninth month on held on Wednesday evening, according to Mansoor Husain, Secretary of the Jame mosque at Ghantaghar in Kathmandu.

On this day, Muslims devotes converge mainly in the mosque or any outdoor location in the early morning for Edi prayer and break their fast feasting on delicacies.

Families and friends gather to mark the end of a month-long fast ‘Ramadan’ and exchange Eid Mubarak (greetings) as well as gifts. A spirit of generosity is encouraged hence they give alms to the poor.

The celebration lasts up to three days in general. The government has declared a public holiday today on this occasion.

Prime Minister KP Sharma has extended best wishes to all Nepali Muslim brothers and sisters at home and abroad on the occasion of the Eid-Ul-Fitr.

In a message today on the occasion of the great festival of the Muslim community, Prime Minister Oli has wished the festival inspires for peace, prosperity, fraternity, harmony, tolerance and unity among all Nepalis. “We Nepalis have been respecting one another’s religion-culture and traditions since ages, and there is a need to continue this cordial tradition that has been maintained since history”, the Prime Minister has said in the message.

Meanwhile, President Bidya Devi Bhandari has extended her best wishes to all Muslim Nepali sisters and brothers at home and abroad for their peace, progress and prosperity on the happy occasion of the great festival of the Muslim community, Eid-Ul-Fitr.

In a message today, President Bhandari has said the celebration of special festival like Eid in the country enriched with religious and cultural diversity has significantly contributed to preserve and promote mutual harmony, togetherness and fraternity among different ethnic groups and communities. It has also imparted a message of unity among diversity and is spectacular to preserve historical and unique culture and tradition of the country, reads the message.

Vice-President Nand Bahadur Pun has extended best wishes to all Muslim people in the country and abroad on the occasion of the Eid Ul Fitre today.

In a best wishes message, the Vice-President Pun wished peace, prosperity and happiness to the Muslim community.”I wish this festival inspire all Nepalis to build further tolerance, brotherhood, and harmony among us,” the Vice-President said.

Also today, leaders of various political parties including among others Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN Maoist Centre Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal, RPP Chairman Lokendra Bahadur Chand, CPN-ML General Secretary CP Mainali, President of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum Nepal (Democratic) Bijaya Kumar Gachchadar and Nepal Haj Committee have issued separate statements of best wishes, congratulating all those celebrating the festival with wishes of good health and happiness. RSS