Eid al-Adha(عيد الأضحى) in 🇮🇳 India

Eid al-Adha in India, known as Eid ul-Zuha or Bakrid, is celebrated by the country's Muslim population with devotion and communal generosity. The day begins with Eid prayers at mosques and eidgahs, after which families perform the qurbani, the ritual sacrifice of a goat, sheep, or in some cases a cow or buffalo, depending on regional customs and local laws.

In many Indian states, cattle slaughter restrictions have shaped how Bakrid is observed. In states where cow slaughter is banned, families sacrifice goats, sheep, or buffalo. Despite these complexities, the spirit of the festival remains strong. The meat is divided into three parts and distributed to family, friends, and the poor, with charitable organizations facilitating distribution to orphanages and slum communities.

The feast varies by region. In Lucknow, the sacrificial meat becomes biriyani, korma, and seekh kebab. In Hyderabad, haleem and patthar ka gosht, meat cooked on heated stone, are specialties. In Kerala, biriyani with meat and pathiri, thin rice rotis, are traditional. Sewaiyan, the ubiquitous sweet vermicelli, is served everywhere.

Mumbai's bustling Muslim neighborhoods around Mohammed Ali Road, Bhendi Bazaar, and Minara Masjid come alive with the celebrations. Families exchange greetings, children receive Eidi, and the tradition of sharing meat and sweets with Hindu and Christian neighbors reinforces India's pluralistic traditions.

One of the two holiest Islamic festivals, commemorating Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son as commanded by God, marked by animal sacrifice, communal prayers, and sharing meat with the poor.