Though the separatist leadership has called for UN chalo on Tuesday, the Muslims across Jammu and Kashmir are celebrating Eid-ul-Azha, the festival of sacrifice, on with utmost austerity amid observing complete shutdown.If sources are believed, the authorities will be barring people to offer congregational Eid prayers at Eidgah, Polo ground and other places where huge congregational Eid prayers were witnessed on Eid-ul-Fitr on July 6 this year.Notably, Eid-ul-Azha is celebrated on the 10th day of Zil-Hajj, the last month of the lunar Islamic calendar.Hundreds of thousands of animals are being sacrificed over the next two and a half days to commemorate the supreme sacrifice offered by Prophet Ibrahim (AS) when, in compliance with the divine command, he laid his son Prophet Ismail (AS) at the altar near the holy city of Makkah several thousand years ago.Muslims all over the world offer sacrifice of animals on this Eid to recall the unflinching submission of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and Prophet Ismail (AS) before the will of God.The occasion coincides with the performance of Hajj, one of the fundamentals of Islamic worship, spread over five days when millions of devotees perform various Manasiks, including daylong stay in Maidan-i-Arafat, stoning of the shaitan (devil) at Mina and Tawwaf around the holy Ka’aba at Makkah.Amid ongoing unrest in the Valley, the people from various localities alleged that forces have asked them don’t offer the congregational Eid prayers while the authorities refuted the allegations stating that there will be no restrictions on Eid prayers.
Meanwhile, in response to the repeated requests from people in general and youth in particular, the separatist leadership including Hurriyat (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani, Hurriyat (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chief, Mohammad Yasin Malik here have appealed the nation to offer Eid Nimaz exactly at 8:30 am.In a statement issued to KNS, the leadership has appealed Jamait-e-Ahlihadith, Local Auqaf Committees, Daral-ul-Alooms, Dargahs and others to cooperate.However, the city markets also presented deserted look, which otherwise had been presenting festive look before the Eid. “The markets used to be festive before couple of days of Eid. Today, there is no indication in markets that would suggest that Eid is just now one day away,” said a local resident of lal Chowk.He added that markets are closed, pedestrian malls are deserted, adding, “There is an eerie clam that indicates the locals are in no mood to celebrate the festival.”“At a time when 80 people were killed while thousands of people were maimed by the Indian forces in Kashmir, it is not viable to celebrate Eid. Forces have unleashed a reign of terror everywhere. They have damaged private properties of worth crores,” he said.The reputed and famous bakery shops have also not prepared varieties of bakery for customers, which otherwise witnessed huge rush of public for orders in the past. “Our outlet has not even prepared the choicest cookies, cakes and biscuits that would attract buyers during Eid celebrations in the past. It is true that these are days when people used to throng our shop and order expensive quality bakery. But today, the entire Kashmir is mourning civilian killings in Kashmir,” one of the famous bakery owner told KNS. Besides bakery, the readymade garment shop owners told KNS that people at large have not opted to buy new clothes, which otherwise has remained an Eid tradition. (KNS)