FrançaisAïd el-Fitr is celebrated on the 18th of July 2015 in India. For Muslims, it marks the end of the Ramadan, month of fast and prayers. The Aïd takes place the day after the end of the Ramadan, as in the morning of the 18th, together in the city’s biggest mosque, believers give alms for the end of the fast, Zakar el-Fitr. Islam is India’s second religion in number of worshippers, as 180 millions of them live here, mostly in the north. In New Delhi, several thousands of worshippers get together at the Jama Masjid Mosque, also called the Shahjahânabâd Great Mosque.
Let’s be careful though no to confuse Aïd el-Fitr with Aïd el-Kabar. The first one literally means breaking the fast, while the other one could be translated by “the big feast” and celebrates Abraham’s sacrifice. It marks the end of the Haji, Mecca’s pilgrimage.
This year, Aïd el-Fikr is celebrated on the 18th of July in Inda, even though it took place on the 17th of July in France. That is because the Aïd is not exactly celebrated at the same time everywhere in the world. The date is decided by the country’s highest religious authorities. That difference stems from the method used to define the day of Aïd. The occuring of the moon crescent is observed, which depends on the geographical position of the observer.
While this celebration is a muslim public holiday, religious tensions run still high in India. The last terrorist attack agains muslims was carried out in 2007.