It is a day that celebrates the end of 30 days of asseverating the basic principles and values of the Muslim community by fasting...It is a day which creates a strong bond with the lord...It is a day when the physical finds a fresh form after a month long spiritual discipline.
Eid ul-Fitr celebrates a religion and its lord. And in Bangalore, as soon as the moon shows itself, prime spots next to mosques and maidans in KR Market, Shivaji Nagar, Millers Road, Tannery Road, Jayanagar 4th Block, KR Road and Mysore Road among many others revel in pomp and glory. Most people have a new wardrobe with new clothes, accessories and jewellery. Hands of women and girls turn canvas with myriad designs left by mehendi.
A different attire covers the city with designer costumes being the order of the day. The men don the sherwanis and chikan Lucknowi kurtas, while the women flaunt bright-coloured outfits.
The air in Bangalore has a different aroma. That of almond kheer, dum biryani, Haleem, Mutton Korma, and phirni.
Certain families host grand feasts for family and friends to celebrate the festival in unison. Many engage in giving alms to the less fortunate, which is popularly known as Zakat (charity).
Markets across prominent areas in the city are decked up with commodities that double up in size and number. Right from flowers, sweets, clothes and provisions, transactions are heavy and business finds a new rage. Even though it is a well anticipated festival, every year there is a new rush that enterprises fail to understand.
Says Syed Hasim, a salesman at a textile outlet in Jayanagar, “Every year we anticipate a certain volume considering the previous year, but we are often surprised by the huge turnout at our outlets. We always fall short in meeting the demands. Even though we overstock, we are often not able to meet the requirements, especially in terms of variety.”
Probably, Bangaloreans need an excuse to celebrate and today the mood is such that any festival is celebrated by every person irrespective of caste or creed.
Says Rafiq who sells Haleem at Fraser Town, “The demand, especially during the last day, is huge. And mostly non-Muslims come to us as they know that they will not get Haleem until next year. And even if I cannot supply, they never forget to greet me, Eid Mubarak.
It really shows that we have a lot of unity being built among us.”
Festivals like Eid just help us understand the respect that Bangaloreans have for each other. Says Ramesh Hooda, an employee with an MNC, “We missed three of our friends everytime we went out for our usual lunch or dinner. Now with Eid, we are going to make up for the lost time together.”
So, while the celebration starts and Bangaloreans look forward with a new freshness, of course many will miss the Haleem of Ramzan.