EID MUBARIK

Moon light and “Eid Mubarak”

Thousands of people across the country will wait with baited breath on Tuesday night for that crescent lunar showing which will end the month of Ramadan (the month of fasting for all Muslims from dawn to dusk) and kick start the new lunar year.

Sure the moon is joyful because she gets to outshine the sun on the night before Eid but so are the people who are all set to bask in the holiday spirit with spanking new clothes and lip smacking traditional delicacies.

Set up by Prophet Mohammed hundreds of years ago to celebrate two days by offering gratitude to God while indulging in merriment and festal splendour, Eid ul-Fitr is the latter of those two days.

It is a day of joy, celebration, colours, giving, blessing and stunning aromas that enamour one’s senses irrespective of the fact that one follows Islam or not.

While the date can change depending upon the night queen’s presence, Eid is definitely on its way.

The day begins early on Eid with Salatul Fajr (the pre-sunrise prayer), and in keeping with the Sunnah (traditions and actions of the Prophet Muhammad), dental hygiene is taken care of, followed by shower (Ghusul), dressing up in new apparels (or the best available), and application of perfume.

Eid on the last day of Ramadan month is all about breaking the fast (irrespective of whether you are a certain Gandhian activist protesting against corruption) and so a customary morning breakfast of dried fruits before the first prayer is followed by much extravagant delicacies.

The Eid prayers is also a grand ceremony performed by parishioners in open areas like fields, community centres, etc. or at mosques.

The adhan (Call to Prayer) or iqama (call) is pronounced for this Eid prayer, and it consists of only two rakaʿāt (units of prayer) with an additional six Takbirs.

The Eid prayer is trailed by the khutbah (sermon) and then a plea (dua) asking for God's forgiveness, mercy, peace and blessings for all living beings across the world.

Once the religious rites are over, the actual celebration starts with people visiting their acquaintances and organising grand celebrations of gleeful serene colours and enticing olfactory fiestas.

Gifts are frequently exchanged on Eid (called eidi in some cultures) with the children ending up as the beneficiaries in most case.

The shopping spree for Eid is also quite common, especially among young girls and the market places throughout the country are busy catering to the demand for newer clothes and jewellery.

Platinum items for men from Platinum Guild are a new highlight of this Eid with the elusive white element shaped to produce charismatic rings, striking bracelets and chains.

Textured platinum rings with smart patterns studded with flush set diamonds, in a subtle matte finish to add that extra dynamism to the ring, are up for grabs this Eid for metrosexual machos with the need for style and cash to spare.

Culinary delights of the greatest Islamic festival are also legendary and dishes like the “shemai” (toasted sweet vermicelli noodles) or the famous “Hyderabadi haleem” (a type of meat stew) grab the centre stage with foodies in the audience.

Restaurants throughout the country brace themselves to produce the finest of festive cuisines so that the month long deprivation of taste buds can be satisfied through bursts of spicy flavours and rich continental offerings.

The festive season is all set to commence with Eid showing the way, followed by several others like Ganesh Chaturthi and the digital social networks are already abuzz with celebratory tweet, posts and scraps.

Indian tennis star Sania Mirza tweets to offer her best wishes, “last day of Ramzaan..chaand mubarak to everyone celebrating Eid tomm.”

But even amidst all the joy, people across India and the world at large are offering their prayers to those who have lost their lives because of heinous terror crimes.

“While we all are busy in Eid, we must not forget the families of people who're killed in Karachi”, tweets Faizan Lakhani, a Geo TV sports journalist from Pakistan.

Still Eid is a festival of joy and of rejoicing deliverance from sins and of divine intervention protecting one from grief.

Whether or not someone is touched by gloom and irrespective of one’s religion, this festival can be a celebration for anyone with a merry heart and a love for good food.

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