The
most important festivals for Muslims are the Eids. These
are celebrated to commemorate the ritual sacrifice (Id-ul-Zuha
- Bakr-id), conclusion of the month of fasting (Id-ul-Fitr
- Ramzan-id) and the birth of the prophet (Id-e-Milad
- Milad-un-Nabi). Eid is celebrated with a ritual
Namaz - prayer - offering in a mosque, festive eating,
exchange of gifts, donning of new clothes and dabbing of attar
- rose essence.
The sweetmeat most commonly associated with
the Eid is Sevai or Semolina bands. These strands, boiled
in sweetened milk and garnished with nuts. They are served dry
as well as with milk.
Urs is the name given to festivals annually
held at the memorial shrines dedicated to Sufi saints.
These are marked by devotional singing that is known to induce
a mystic trance. The most famous Urs are held at the
Dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya at Delhi and Moinuddin Chishti
at Ajmer.