Bakra- Eid, a national holiday in Nepal

The festival is observed on the 70th day of Eid-ul-Fitr or Ramadan and today under many names, 'Eid U Zoha' or 'Il Ud Adha'. According to the Islamic calendar 'Hijri Samvat', this festival is celebrated on the 10th day of the new month 'Jul Hijja'.

Muslim communities across the globe are observing this divine day with utmost dedication. In the Islamic community, on this day, everyone gets up in the morning, takes a bath, cleanses themselves, goes to open spaces or mosques to offer prayers, and embraces and exchanges good wishes. There is a tradition of sacrificing goats, bullocks, and buffaloes after returning home from prayers. The meat of the sacrificed animal is divided into three parts, one part for oneself, and another part for one's close friend, and the last third for the poor and helpless.
According to the Slim Scriptures, about four thousand years ago today, Hazrat Ibrahim saw his God asking him to scarify his most beloved object in a dream. With a pure dedication in his heart, he now decides to scarify his most beloved son for the god. The next day, in reality, he sacrifices his son but later his son was saved by the grace of God. The dream was to examine his level of dedication. Bakhrid is commemorated to redefine the real meaning of scarifying, the purpose of the sacrifice is to awaken the feeling that life and death are all for God.

It is considered necessary for every Muslim to make the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia once in a lifetime, for which there is a fixed time. The Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca from today is also the day of the formal conclusion of this year's pilgrimage.

On this day, people's attention is also drawn to the collective need and each person is determined to fulfill it according to his/her status. It is better to return home by another route than the one from which Idgah came. The purpose of doing so is to ensure that no part of the settlement is emptied of the bustle of the people and the praise of Allah.

This festival is celebrated for three days and in this way, the Muslims who are not allowed to perform Qurbani send money to their village and other places of proximity. Baker's Eid should be stopped only by associating it with Kurbani, meaning taking life, but also respecting the value of life. Today's festival is a festival of harmony and good wishes. Happy Eid-ul-Zoha to all Muslim brothers and sisters!

Suyog Dhakal