A festive atmosphere prevailed across Uttar Pradesh on Thursday as people from the Muslim community celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr by offering prayers and feasting on delicacies.
In the state capital Lucknow, the Aishbagh Eidgah in the old city witnessed a huge gathering of people who adorned traditional attires and exchanged greetings and embraces.
Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, Minister of State for Minority Affairs Danish Azad Ansari, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, and state Congress president Ajay Rai visited the eidgah and greeted the people there.
Speaking to reporters, Yadav said people from different communities celebrate festivals together and "this is the identity of our culture".
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"I am hopeful that with our combined cultures we will take the country forward towards prosperity," Yadav said.
Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramzan during which Muslims observe a strict fast from dawn until sunset.
Besides Lucknow, large Eid congregations were seen in Kanpur, Bareilly, Moradabad, Prayagraj, Meerut, and Barabanki, officials said.
Eid-ul-Fitr namaz was offered at more than 31,000 eidgahs and mosques in the state, police said.
Following the prayers, people made a beeline for eateries and restaurants selling lip-smacking dishes and also visited their neighbours, friends and relatives and shared sweet milk-based desserts like 'sewai' and 'kheer'.
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According to information provided by the state police headquarters, adequate security arrangements were put in place across the state in view of the festival.
In most of the districts, alternative route diversions were put in place by the local authorities to manage traffic.
Asserting that no untoward incident was reported from anywhere, police said 2,933 sensitive places have been identified in the state and drones and high-powered CCTV cameras have been deployed to monitor the areas around mosques and the bustling markets, police said.
