Lucknow, Aug 31 (IANS) The festival of Eid-ul-Fitr, marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramazan, was Wednesday celebrated with traditional enthusiasm in this Uttar Pradesh capital amid heavy security arrangements.


The festivities began when Muslims converged at the Aishbagh Eidgah - the biggest prayer ground in the city - and various mosques for congregational prayers.

Attired in traditional costumes, Muslims, after offering namaz, wished 'Eid Mubarak' by hugging each other.

"We prayed for the nation's prosperity and communal harmony," Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahli, a prominent Sunni cleric who heads Lucknow's oldest Islamic seminary, told reporters here.

"We exhorted the community members to continue pious deeds even after Ramazan and abide by the holy Quran," he added.

Chief Minister Mayawati arrived at the Aishbagh Eidgah to greet the Muslim devotees on the occasion.

Donning new clothes, Muslims visited houses of their relatives where they were treated with 'Sheer Korma' - a sweet dish prepared of vermicelli and garnished with dry fruits.

Platters of other delicious cuisines were prepared in Muslim households.

In other major cities of the state, including Allahabad, Varanasi, Bareilly, Varanasi and Agra, the festival was celebrated with traditional fervour and gaiety.

As many as 44 companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), 10 of Rapid Action Force (RAF) and six of Rapid Response Force (RRF) have been deployed across Uttar Pradesh along with police and other paramilitary forces to ensure peace on the festival.