Eid Celebrations Down the Memory Lane

Eid Celebrations Down the Memory Lane

As the world grapples with the second wave of Covid-19, Muslims across the world are observing Ramzan – the ninth month of the Islamic calendar during which the Holy Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad. With the restrictions back in force, the upcoming Eid celebrations will be a low-key affair and different from previous years. Bereft of the congregational Eid prayer, customary hugs or celebratory Eid-milans, Muslims across the world are expected to offer their prayers at home and share a modest meal with their family members. Such an Eid celebration would have been inconceivable a couple of years back if not for the pandemic. My City Links gets in touch with the golden agers to know about the transition in Eid celebrations over the years.

Cling and Bling of those Heady Days

For Muslims across the globe, Eid is a time of merriment and celebration. The joy of sharing all festivities in a joint family is unexplainable. A modern day nuclear family is deprived of such ethereal joys. Eighty two-year-old Khadija Bibi becomes nostalgic when she recalls her childhood memories at her maternal home when she had no worries in the world. Those days, everyone used to wait for the entire year earnestly for Eid to arrive. “The excitement of Eid would kick off from mid-Ramzan when the main topic of discussion among all cousins and friends was what new clothes to buy. Pestering Ammi to buy me the cham-cham (blingy) gharara and the kum-kuma chudi (clanking golden glass bangles) was such a joy. The boys in the family would opt for white kurta pyjama with a crisp topi to match. Eid shopping would mean several trips to the market which gave us immense pleasure,” she said.

Unlike the present generation, children used to fast from the tender age of 9-10 years and it was more of a voluntary activity rather than a forced burden. “Fasting was more of a reward for us. Since there was a special treatment to those who fasted, we used to be very naughty and even got away with it. Everyone would be like ‘Don’t say anything to the kid, she is fasting’ and that was a green signal for us,” she informed with a chuckle.

The Charms of ‘Chaand Raat’

On the eve of Eid, the moon that is seen exudes a special aura. The ‘Eid Ka Chaand’ is eagerly awaited and its sighting is a joyous celebration in itself. It is believed that every prayer while sighting this moon is fulfilled.

Abdul Razak, a 75-year-old retired Colonel, drifts back to his boyhood days in Jajpur where he spent the best days of his life before leaving for higher studies. “During sunset on the last day of Ramzan after Iftar, my brother and I would drag Abbu to the terrace to see the beautiful silver crescent moon. We would then rush home to give Ammi and the entire family the good news. ‘Chaand ho gaya, kal Eid hai! Chaand raat Mubarak!’ were the words that echoed in the entire neighbourhood. If in case it could not be sighted, we would rush back home and Abbu would immediately tune into All India Radio (AIR) to find out if the moon had been sighted elsewhere to signify Eid celebrations the next day. During those days, it was very difficult to wait for Eid for even one more day,” he said.

Abdul further informed that for his mother, ‘chaand raat’ was a celebration in itself. “After a month-long fasting, her body was frail but her spirits high. She would work late into the night, preparing tonnes of kebabs, sewain and biryani that would be cooked and served to guests and relatives the next day,” he recalled.

Hullabaloo of Eid Mornings

The morning of Eid starts off with a flurry of activities. Excitement in the air, everyone is in a rush to take a bath and don their lovely attires. Arifa Firdaus Khanum, a homemaker, said, “The house is decorated with new curtains, colourful lights and the dining table is spruced up with festive linen, ceremonial silverware and shiny cutlery. The silver ‘itardaan’ (perfume case) is the pride of the house and is placed at the entrance as ‘itar’ (perfume) is the first thing offered to guests on Eid. The whole house then fills with the fragrance of ‘Jannat-ul-Firdaus’, an aroma I still associate with Eid since my maiden days,” she informed.

Her son Arif Mustafa also joined in sharing his Eid routine. “My father and I would get ready and set off for the ‘Idgah’ (congregational prayer ground) for the Eid prayer by eight in the morning. When we returned, an elaborate breakfast was laid out consisting of sheermal, keema roti, kebabs, sheer khurma and sewain. Post-breakfast, the table would be reloaded for the guests. In the pre-Covid era, ours was an open house on Eid as there would be a stream of guests stopping by throughout the day. Ammi’s butter biryani and galawati kebab are the most sought-after delicacies,” he said.

Similarly, for 50 year-old Anwar Khan, the best part of Eid celebration during his childhood days was the ‘Eidi’ they received from all elders of the family when they wished them ‘Eid Mubarak’. “Those days, a rupee or two was the norm and a five or ten rupee note was a princely sum. Relatives who gave the largest Eidi would become our favourite until the next Eid. I remember how eagerly we used to wait for Dadajaan’s Eidi, who always pressed a ten-rupee note into our palms. My brother, an ingenious kid, would venture out to relatives’ houses nearby and hang around, carefully wishing everyone “Eid Mubarak” in a bid to increase his Eidi. By the end of the day, he always managed to ‘collect’ much more than what I received. While my Eidi money went into a piggy bank under Ammi’s supervision, my brother would buy himself a cricket bat or a fancy t-shirt the very next day itself,” he said.

Sanctity of Eid Evenings

In the evening, Eid dinner is hosted where extended family members come over for celebrations. Relatives bring along delicacies with them making the dining table overflow with aroma of exotic Mughlai dishes mixed with joy and laughter.

Modernisation and advancement in lifestyle has indeed changed the face of celebration and given it a low profile unlike the good old days. A widower, Sheikh Mohsin, expressed his grief over the changing lifestyle of families. “My parents are no more. My brother is in another city with his family while my son lives abroad. My eyes swell up when the festive memories of Eid come back, bringing with them the joy and laughter of the days gone by. This Eid, just like last year, will be unusually quiet with no visits or hugs and no dawat either. Just the formality of the modern-day technology, with video calls and forwarded greetings. How can technology ever replace a long warm hug from your loved ones? But that’s okay. One needs to move forward with the change and holding back will only stop growth,” he said with a sigh.

With social gatherings put on hold, Muslims are bracing for an isolated Eid celebration within the four walls of their homes. Though people will miss the euphony of large gatherings, the Covid restrictions can be a blessing in disguise as families will get a chance to bond and understand each other while celebrating Eid among themselves. The lockdown may have cast a shadow on the pompous Eid celebration but it has failed to affect people’s empathy, love and care.

Eid Mubarak!