Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 16 (IANS): Muslims across Kerala Wednesday celebrated Eid-ul-Azha, also called Bakr Eid, with reverence and exuberance.

People arrived at Mosques and specially erected prayer centres across the state to offer special Eid prayers.

Muslims in the state rank second with 24 per cent of the 3.20 crore population and districts of Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kochi witnessed large turnouts of the devout.

Right from the morning, Muslim men and women dressed in their best attires arrived at mosques and also at specially erected Eidgahs.

Except in Kochi, where sudden rain forced people to go indoors, people offered prayers in open Eidgahs in other towns and cities.

Muslims around the world make animal sacrifice on Eid-ul-Azha to commemorate the sacrifice offered by Prophet Ibrahim (Abrahim).

According to belief, the Allah ordered Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismail. When the blindfolded father moved the blade on his son's throat to carry out the divine command, the Allah replaced Ismail with a goat, sparing Ibrahim the sorrow.

It is to celebrate the absolute submission of Prophet Ibrahim to the Allah and the saving of Ismail's life that Muslims offer animal sacrifice on Eid-ul-Azha.

It coincides with the Haj pilgrimage in Mecca and the sacrificial meat is distributed after the Eid prayers among the family, friends and the needy and the poor.

Since Tuesday evening, long queues of buyers gathered outside mutton shops in the state and at some places the price surged to as high as Rs.500 per kg.