Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Cuttack, Jun 6:

The devout Muslims in Odisha will for the next almost 30 days be indulged in prayers, fasting, charity and religious activity as the holy month of Ramadan began here today.

Pic Courtesy: www.telegraph.co.uk

The moon sighting committee of Cuttack-- Anjuman Islamiya Committee—this evening announced that the new moon had been sighted.

General Secretary of the Committee MA Razzak informed that the moon had been sighted which marks the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.

Moon sighting reports came in from states including Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Jhakrkhand. A majority of other states will be observing the month-long fasting since tomorrow.

Notably, Ramadan also known as Ramzan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.

It is the month of fasting, in which Muslims don’t eat or drink anything from dawn until sunset.

Fasting is meant to teach the person patience and humility. Ramadan is a time to fast for the sake of God, to offer even more prayer than normal and ask forgiveness for the sins of the past and ask for guidance in the future.

Ramadan ends with Eid-ul-Fitr, and normally depending on the calendar it takes either 29 or 30 days.