[bujhee kom]

Originally Posted by ammark
.....But alas, I'm in Dhaka, and for us the 29th of Ramadan is on 30 September, therefore probably placing eid on the 1st of October. It'll be pretty homely I suppose with everyone very joyful and energetic; wearing new clothes, waking up early to the miking, having a shower and going to prayers like everyone else in the para moholla. Then followed by payesh, and firni and goodies from home, chachas, mamas, khalas, fuppus, neighbours etc.

I will however miss feeling like I'm part of a "special" (in a minority sense) crowd - to whom eid meant something, when most people around us there would never comprehend the innate associations eid had for us. It was about remembering the memories of what eid meant at home that we spent the day, trying to recreate it as best we could in those 24 hours among friends and for the few lucky, their relatives. It was a small and improvised celebration - to feel good. Maybe going go karting and shelling out that $35 on a nice meal. Eid was so private for me abroad, and thus I felt it to be more spiritual and closer to my heart.

Coming back to Dhaka, the materialism and consumerism of eid is overwhelming, the pretentiousness of those celebrating, the brash and loud approach by those to whom the day seems to belong, the outburst of squalor amidst the revelry and the apathy of the revellers, comes as a substantial sensory overload. With the parting of some fitrah, its as if we can all be absolved from not caring any more. Yes being in Dhaka city, I really miss the spirituality and private enjoyment of eid.

I long to be part of the smaller community that struggled to dignify their lives on this special day with their efforts at having a good, sharing & caring eid. A community as diverse as could be from bengali students to somali refugee grandfathers, and well-to-do pakistani doctors, and learned Egyptian scholars. They all made the effort to remember their roots and share eid with each other at the same time, somehow reaching across cultures and trying to give us an eid of hummus and fried chicken along with the payesh and haluwas. It didnt matter to them where that panjabi was from or how much it cost, it only mattered that to each of us eid meant something special and it was for us to give that warmth to each other!

I hope I'm proved wrong about eid in Dhaka, and I feel the spirituality tomorrow through the deeds of people around me, Insha'Allah.

May Allah Bless you all a Happy Eid. Jazak Allah Khair.

dear ammark bhai, what a beautiful way you express your feelings! i just wanted to say that i feel very much exactly the same way you feel in canada and now in dhaka! everything you said are on the mark and true! it makes me feel very depressed seeing the differnece in spirituality and material culture between the 70's when i was a kid growing up in dhaka and dhaka now! and i mean my own family, relatives they all changed a bit over the last thirty years from more of spiritual beings to more plastic materialistic beings! maybe Inshallah we all will find our way back to love, share, peace and family again!
eid mubarak and peace!