KATHMANDU: Muslims across the country are celebrating Eid al-Fitr with religious fervour today.

The government has declared a public holiday for today to celebrate the day. Devotees observe the greatest festival of the Islamic community by reciting special Namaz, offering prayers in mosques, receiving blessings from elders and giving blessings to juniors.

On this day, Muslims gather mainly in the mosque or any outdoor location in the early morning for prayer and break their fast feasting on delicacies. The festival marks the culmination of the holy month of Ramadan during which Muslims observe a stringent dawn-to-dusk fast.

During the month-long festival, Muslims ask for forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance, ask for help in refraining from everyday evils and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds.

On the occasion of Eid al-Fitr that began in the evening of June 25 and will conclude this evening, President Bidya Devi Bhandari has expressed best wishes to all Nepali Islam brothers and sisters living in and abroad for their happiness, peace and prosperity on the occasion of Eid-al-Firt.

In a message today, President Bhandari has expressed her confidence that the special festivals like Eid-al-Fitr observed in our country would promote mutual reconciliation, goodwill and fraternity among different castes and lingual communities.

The President said that this festival has made immense contribution for protection and promotion of our unique cultures and traditions and added that this would consolidate the notion of national unity amid diversity.

Similarly, Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun has also extended best wishes to all Nepalis including Islam community in and outside the country .

"The festival may bring happiness, peace, good health and prosperity to the lives of all Nepali people," read the message of well wishes extended by the Vice President.

He also expressed hope that this festival may create mutual harmony among communities of all castes, languages and religions, increase fraternity and strengthen national independence, integrity and sovereignty.

He also wished that this festival would inspire all political parties to pursue consensus, cooperation and collaboration.

Also, CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli extended best wishes to all Nepalis including Muslim community on the occasion of the festival.

Ramadan is a Muslim religious observance that takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, the month in which the first verses of the Quran were revealed to Prophet Mohammed. It is a time when Muslims around the world focus on prayer, fasting, giving to charity, and religious devotion. Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, having sexual intercourse and smoking from dawn until sunset during the period.