Thiruvananthapuram, Friday, September 10, 2010: Muslims in Kerala will celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr today with Imams declaring sighting of the new moon marking the end of the fasting month of Ramazan Thursday evening.

Panakkad Sayid Hyderali Shihab Thangal, spiritual leader of Muslims in Malabar region in north Kerala, declared in Malappuram that new moon marking the beginning of the month Sauvval in the Islamic calendar had been sighted from different places. In south Kerala also Imams in different places declared sighting of the moon. Thangal, also state president of Indian Union Muslim League, greeted the believers on the occasion.

“Let Eid-ul-Fitr be another reminder for the believers to re-dedicate themselves to ideals of social and communal harmony and brotherhood”, Thangal said in a message. Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said the message of Eid-ul-Fitr was that of love, harmony and compassion.

Cities and towns across the state were steeped in festive spirit with people making the last-minute purchases to celebrate the occasion. The state civil supplies corporation has opened special Ramzan fairs in many places, where essential items are sold at subsidized prices.