Traditional fervour and gaiety marked the celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr on Wednesday across Jammu and Kashmir.

A large Eid congregation was held at Srinagar’s Hazratbal shrine on the banks of the Dal Lake.

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A large number of Muslims also assembled in Jammu, Kishtwar, Doda, Rajouri, Poonch, Banihal, Kathua and other parts of the Union Territory to offer prayers on the occasion.

However, the Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid (AAJ) said: “The Jama Masjid Srinagar is closed for Eid prayers. Chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who was scheduled to deliver Eid sermons, has been placed under house arrest. Police personnel have closed the gates of the Jama Masjid. This is for the fifth consecutive year that the authorities have prohibited Eid prayers at the Jama Masjid.”

“Continued closure of the Jama Masjid belies claims of religious freedom in Kashmir,” AAJ posted on X.

Offering Eid greetings, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha wrote on X; “The auspicious day inspires us to dedicate ourselves to the service of humanity. May the holy festival bring good health, happiness and prosperity in everyone’s lives.”

Former chief ministers Dr Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti were among those who offered prayers at the shrine.

“A genocide of Palestinians is going on while Muslim countries are silent. I hope they wake up and break their silence on this murder of humanity,” Abdullah said after offering his prayers at Hazratbal.

On India-Pakistan ties, he said the two nations can progress only when they have friendly relations. “We cannot progress if we have hostile and confrontationist relations,” Abdullah said.

“I urge the affluent class in the society to help those who do not have any resources to celebrate Eid. The prevailing situation has regrettably increased the social gap with uncertainty looming large over the poorest of poor, daily wagers, and marginal farmers, pushing them to the brink of hunger. On the auspicious occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, the well off in our society should lend all support to the people in need,” Abdullah added.

Mehbooba condemned the closure of the Jamia Masjid for Eid prayers, saying: “This is interference in religious matters.”

In Jammu, the biggest congregation was held at the Eidgah in the main city and Mecca Masjid at Bathindi, where hundreds of devotees performed Namaz-e-Eid.