Staying awake until sehri to craft vibrant Eid cards and exchange cheerful “Happy Eid” greetings with cousins was a tradition for me. Green, blue, red, yellow – these hues were not just pigments on my Eid cards; they embodied the kaleidoscope of memories from my childhood Eids.
Regrettably, whenever I reminisce about these vibrant, colourful Eids, the word “childhood” effortlessly attaches itself. Eid is not the same anymore – a sentiment echoed by many young adults, myself included.
The excitement of exploring different shopping malls for dresses and selecting gifts for loved ones has become a rarity. Tuning in to BTV on the last day of Ramadan just to hear the familiar strains of “O mor Ramzaner oi rojar sheshe elo khushir Eid” used to be a cherished tradition in my Eid celebrations. Unfortunately, like a cherished melody fading into silence, this tradition gradually slipped away over the years.
In today’s era of mobile financial services, children miss out on the joy of visiting every nearby household to collect Eid Salamis, which our mothers promised to safeguard in their almirahs. But I often wonder, “Where’s the money?” Well, it certainly was not safe with my mother.
The Eids of my childhood tirelessly remind me of how my cousins and I would eagerly rise in the early morning to embark on our Salami Collection mission. At the day’s end, we would gather to compare who received the most salamis. Have you ever done that? It was so much fun.
As I reflect on this, I realise how Eid has evolved for me over the years. Perhaps, as time passes, we find ourselves in need of greater reasons to smile. Eid remains a celebrated occasion, but its charm diminishes as we confront adulthood. The sparkle in my cousins’ eyes dims with each passing Eid. Salamis have transitioned from receiving to giving, but in the process, we have surrendered not only the exchange of gifts but also our enthusiasm and the cherished tradition of crafting Eid cards. Nowadays, Eid serves as a day to dress up and scroll through social media in search of a reason to smile.
That is how Eid has changed for me over the years. I hope it has not been the same for everyone. As the pages of the calendar turn, may your reasons to rejoice in Eid multiply.