The simple pleasures of Eid: Family, flowers and piles of sweets

By Sarah Brown and Stina Backer, for CNN

Updated 1759 GMT (0159 HKT) August 9, 2013

During an Eid spent in India, Laurens Meulman, 35, from the Netherlands, spotted an irresistible photo-opportunity after she'd been invited to share food with a family in a square behind the Taj Mahal. "The henna-painted hands of one of the women in the group caught my eye and I asked her if I could to take a photo," she said.
Photos: Your Eid celebrations photos
Hands on at Taj Mahal – During an Eid spent in India, Laurens Meulman, 35, from the Netherlands, spotted an irresistible photo-opportunity after she'd been invited to share food with a family in a square behind the Taj Mahal. "The henna-painted hands of one of the women in the group caught my eye and I asked her if I could to take a photo," she said.
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This Eid 3-year-old Mazin from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia will be wearing a <a href="http://statigr.am/viewer.php#/user/615318/" target="_blank">brand new customized thobe</a>. His father Yassir Nassif said that for most people Eid is a family holiday where you go from house to house to visit relatives they never got around to visit during the rest of the year. "We have scheduled breakfasts, lunches and dinners. I never knew how exhausting it was on my parents until I became one myself, but I enjoyed it as a kid and would love my children to have the same pleasures."
Photos: Your Eid celebrations photos
Dress to impress – This Eid 3-year-old Mazin from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia will be wearing a brand new customized thobe. His father Yassir Nassif said that for most people Eid is a family holiday where you go from house to house to visit relatives they never got around to visit during the rest of the year. "We have scheduled breakfasts, lunches and dinners. I never knew how exhausting it was on my parents until I became one myself, but I enjoyed it as a kid and would love my children to have the same pleasures."
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The hustle and bustle of the <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1012895" target="_blank">Matia Mahal bazaar</a> close to Old Delhi's principal mosque Jama Masjid was captured on film by 70-year-old Ramesh Lalwani. The samosas are in the process of being fried and the pakoras, jalebis and gulab jamuns are ready for sale to the Eid crowds.
Photos: Your Eid celebrations photos
Old Delhi food rush – The hustle and bustle of the Matia Mahal bazaar close to Old Delhi's principal mosque Jama Masjid was captured on film by 70-year-old Ramesh Lalwani. The samosas are in the process of being fried and the pakoras, jalebis and gulab jamuns are ready for sale to the Eid crowds.
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The night cooking at the Nakhlistan Eid-al-fitr Feeding Scheme in <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1013607" target="_blank">Cape Town, South Africa</a> was captured by Amien Phillips. More than 69,000 people were fed and five tons of meat, four tons of rice, 2.7 tons of potatoes, 850 kilograms of onions, 27,000 pieces of wood and 151 pots were used.
Photos: Your Eid celebrations photos
Feeding Cape Town – The night cooking at the Nakhlistan Eid-al-fitr Feeding Scheme in Cape Town, South Africa was captured by Amien Phillips. More than 69,000 people were fed and five tons of meat, four tons of rice, 2.7 tons of potatoes, 850 kilograms of onions, 27,000 pieces of wood and 151 pots were used.
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This <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1010318" target="_blank">colorful feast</a> of a photo was taken by Ashish Tibrewal in his native Mumbai, India, during Eid in 2009. "Being a Hindu, I do not celebrate Eid myself but I visit my Muslim friends to greet them on Eid, and it's a great symbol of peace and brotherhood between different religions," he said.
Photos: Your Eid celebrations photos
Fruits, treats and temples – This colorful feast of a photo was taken by Ashish Tibrewal in his native Mumbai, India, during Eid in 2009. "Being a Hindu, I do not celebrate Eid myself but I visit my Muslim friends to greet them on Eid, and it's a great symbol of peace and brotherhood between different religions," he said.
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This <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1012383" target="_blank">moment of brotherly love</a> was taken by Anupama Kinagi in Mumbai, India: "Muslims had just offered prayers and were wishing each other a very happy Eid. It is absolutely fine to hug and wish strangers on this auspicious occasion. The police officer specially arranges for rose flowers and greets Muslims outside Masjid on this special day. The Muslims accept their wishes and thank them for their extraordinary service," said the 37-year-old graphic designer.
Photos: Your Eid celebrations photos
Streets of brotherly love – This moment of brotherly love was taken by Anupama Kinagi in Mumbai, India: "Muslims had just offered prayers and were wishing each other a very happy Eid. It is absolutely fine to hug and wish strangers on this auspicious occasion. The police officer specially arranges for rose flowers and greets Muslims outside Masjid on this special day. The Muslims accept their wishes and thank them for their extraordinary service," said the 37-year-old graphic designer.
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"There are four mosques in the immediate neighborhood and each one celebrates Eid slightly differently," said Stephanie Keith from Bedford-Stuyvesant, a part of <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1010042" target="_blank">Brooklyn</a> that has become a popular area for African immigrants. "One mosque has the street blocked off during prayer time and all the worshippers fill the streets. Another mosque blocks off the street for the whole day and has a street party. But at every mosque, people don their fanciest outfit of the year most in an African style," said the 47-year-old travel journalist who used to live and work in Egypt.
Photos: Your Eid celebrations photos
Eid Brooklyn style – "There are four mosques in the immediate neighborhood and each one celebrates Eid slightly differently," said Stephanie Keith from Bedford-Stuyvesant, a part of Brooklyn that has become a popular area for African immigrants. "One mosque has the street blocked off during prayer time and all the worshippers fill the streets. Another mosque blocks off the street for the whole day and has a street party. But at every mosque, people don their fanciest outfit of the year most in an African style," said the 47-year-old travel journalist who used to live and work in Egypt.
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Sammi Addahoumi, 30, from South Carolina snapped this photo of a Benghazi sweet shop while traveling through <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1012424" target="_blank">Libya</a> for Ramadan. "Sweets, especially during Ramadan, offer a guiltless pleasure that all of Benghazi can indulge in," he said. The sweets in this photo are called Kunafah and are filled with almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, cashews, cheese, cream, or cream cheese.
Photos: Your Eid celebrations photos
Sweet tooth in Benghazi – Sammi Addahoumi, 30, from South Carolina snapped this photo of a Benghazi sweet shop while traveling through Libya for Ramadan. "Sweets, especially during Ramadan, offer a guiltless pleasure that all of Benghazi can indulge in," he said. The sweets in this photo are called Kunafah and are filled with almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, cashews, cheese, cream, or cream cheese.
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