On Friday, September 13, the Maharashtra government announced a change in the official holiday for Eid-e-Milad in Mumbai. Originally set for September 16 (Monday), the holiday will now be observed on September 18 (Wednesday).
This rescheduling is due to the coinciding date of Anant Chaturdashi, the final day of the Ganesh festival, which falls on September 17. The local Muslim community has decided to hold their Eid processions on September 18 to avoid overlapping with Ganpati immersion ceremonies, prompting the shift in the holiday date, according to an official statement.
The decision follows requests from Muslim MLAs and community organizations who sought to move the Eid-e-Milad celebrations to prevent any potential conflicts with the Hindu festival.
The notification explained, "Among the 24 public holidays declared by the State Government, the Eid-e-Milad holiday was initially scheduled for Monday, September 16, 2024.
Given that the Muslim festival Eid-e-Milad, celebrated with large-scale processions, coincides with Anant Chaturdashi on September 17, the Muslim community has opted to shift the procession to Wednesday, September 18, 2024, to ensure harmony between the two communities. Consequently, the public holiday for Eid-e-Milad will now be observed on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, instead of Monday, September 16, 2024."