The historic Sholakia Eidgah of the district hosted the country’s biggest congregation of Eid-ul-Fitr on Monday upholding its tradition.
Muslims from India, Pakistan and almost all parts of the country joined the 185th congregation of Eid-ul-Fitr at the historic Eidgah, said Deputy commissioner Md Siddiqur Rahman who is also the president of the executive committee of Sholakia Eidgah.
Chairman of Islahul Muslimeen Council and secretary general of Jamaat-e-Ulema Maulana Md Fariduddin Masud conducted the Eid Jamaat.
The number of devotees is increasing every year to attend the Eid congregation at the largest Eidgah of the subcontinent. Over three lakh devotees come here to offer their Eid payers every year.
The first Eid congregation on this ground was held in 1828 when a local Dewan, called Sayeed Ahmed (R) of Haibatnagar Dewan Bari of the town, conducted Eid Jamaat on one of the fields of his own ‘Taluk’ (revenue zone). This later became known in history as the Sholakia Eidgah.
The name ‘Sholakia’ comes from Shoa Lakh, meaning ‘one lakh twenty-five thousand’ being the number of people that had come to offer their Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at the Eidgah.
The surrounding area was also named Sholakia afterwards. Later, another Dewan, Mannan Dad Khan, gave 4.35 acres of land for the Eidgah in 1950. However, according to sources, the Sholakia Eidgah now has about 7 acres of land.
The Eidgah stands on the bank of the Narosunda River and is known throughout the continent for the large number of devotees who come here every year for saying their Eid prayers.
There are about 265 rows, each of which can accommodate 500 devotees at the Eidgah. So, the entire field can accommodate some 1,32,500 devotees. However, more than three lakh devotees offer their prayers here using the nearby roads, open spaces and courtyards of surrounding houses.
Sholakia Eidgah has an executive committee of 51 members with the Deputy Commissioner (DC) being its ex-officio president.
Two special trains will operate on Bhairab-Kishoreganj and Kishoreganj-Mymensingh routes to facilitate the movement of Sholakia-bound Muslim devotees.
-With unbconnect.com input
