Eid Nawaz, Red Road, Calcutta (Kolkata)

Eid ul - Fitr , often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity", while Fiá¹­r means "to break fast"; and so the holiday symbolizes the breaking of the fasting period. It is celebrated after the end of the Islamic month of Ramadan.

Typically, Muslims wake up relatively late in the morning—always after sunrise and have a small breakfast (as a sign of not being on a fast on that day) of preferably date fruit, before attending a special Eid prayer that is performed in congregation at mosques or open areas like fields, squares etc. Muslims are encouraged to dress in their best clothes (new if possible) for the occasion. Common greetings during this holiday is the Arabic greeting of "Id Mmubarak." (Source: Wikipedia)

"Islam has always been an urban faith, ..... its civilizations has always flourished most successfully in the labyrinths of the ancient bazar towns of the East. Certainly there can be no doubt that Islam looks at its most impressive in a great cathedral mosque, especially on the occasion of Id (or Eid)." (Source: City of Djinns by William Dalrymple.)

Sadly in Calcutta (Kolkata) the Eid Prayer (or Namaz) are not held at the cathedral mosque of Nakhoda Masjid. The Eid Nawaz is held at the Red Road, and its no less a spectacle.