EID 2023: Different regions celebrate Eid on slightly different dates. (Representational)
The festival of Eid-ul-Fitr is likely to be celebrated on April 22 this year. The day marks the culmination of the holy month of Ramadan and is celebrated with pomp and gaiety by Muslims across the world.
Eid-ul-Fitr Date
The celebration of Eid depends on the sighting of the Moon. Hence, while the expected date to observe the festival is May 22, it can shift to May 23 if the moon is not sighted. Due to this, different regions celebrate Eid on slightly different dates. The Shawwal moon is first sighted in Saudi Arabia.
According to the Islamic calendar, Eid-ul-Fitr falls on the first day of Shawwal or the tenth Islamic month.
Most of the states in India celebrate Eid once the Moon is sighted. In Kerala, Eid will be marked on April 21 as per the official calendar published by the state government. But this date can change according to the visibility of the Moon. According to the Jammu and Kashmir holiday calendar, Eid will fall on April 22.
The Islamic calendar or the Hijri calendar is a lunar calendar. Because of this, the dates of Islamic holidays change every month in the Gregorian calendar.
A lunar year has 12 months but around 354 days, which is roughly 11 days less than in a solar calendar. This results in the date of Islamic holidays advancing by 10 to 11 days every year.
Eid-ul-Fitr Celebrations
On Eid-ul-Fitr, people wake up early to offer prayers and wish their friends and families “Eid Mubarak”. This is followed by elaborate feasts which include a number of traditional delicacies like biryani, kebabs, haleem, seviyan, sheer khurma, and dahi bhalla among others.
People also wear new clothes and visit each other's houses exchanging sweets and greetings. Eid is also an auspicious day to donate food, clothes, and money to the needy.