Thursday, 7 July 2016

How Bengalis Celebrate Eid

Hey!!!



Eid Mubarak!!!

First of all, I would like to apologise for posting this a day later than my schedule since Wednesday was Eid so I was making notes to post this and "celebrating" it as well.

Different cultures celebrate Eid differently, and my culture or family is no exception. This is how my Eid went.


1. Preparation

Since Eid is often on an odd day, preparation starts quite early, like in the weekend. People do their shopping, groceries and etc. It is also the time to wish everyone "early eid mubarak" and to invite them. Normally their answer is "I will have guests at home but I will try" or "I have guests at home sorry I can't come" or rarely "Yeah I will come".

The day before Eid is hectic. Even more if your parents work, because the pressure is upon whoever is free at home, i.e. me. From the time you wake up till night, non stop you are doing all the house chores like cleaning, cooking prep, making sweets and snacks, etc. By night time, you wish you could have a day to rest.

2. The Day

Sadly, in our area there are no mosques or places where they hold prayers for ladies. Therefore, my mum and I don't go. I already went to sleep at 3:30 am after working so much the day before and at 8 am I can already hear so much noise. It feels like someone is banging your head with a hammer. It is horrible. On top of that, they will be asking you for stuff they can't find in your sleep and you can listen to them but it is physically unable to open your mouth and answer them.


What do you do then? You give up and get up. Shower, get ready, pray at home, get ready a bit more and wish your parents. Get some Eidi (money you get on Eid by people, also called salami in bengali) and have some food. Then back to working. You help mum make food and other people start to come. You might or might not get some more Eidi, depending on the generousity of the person. In my experience the really close cousin brothers try to get you something. Everything is done and it is time for the "photo shoot". You are mentally getting prepared, thinking of good poses to make sure that extra pound isn't showing or that pimple from the breakout. You proper take some photos and post them on social media to show people you are also having a good day...but are you?


All the Eid formalities are done, so now it's waiting time. You are waiting just to realise that no one comes. You keep on waiting and waiting but no sign of people. You can't leave home just in case anyone ends up arriving. Often times no one comes. That is the boring time.

Until evening when you don't even realise that the house is full of people and kids. This is the racing time. There is so much pressure in that moment. They ask you to take their pictures, solo, couple, family, more family, strangers, etc. You heat up the food, decorate it, serve it, wash dishes, feed people and so much stuff. There is not a second to take a break. By night time, everyone is gone and you are left with so much spare food and dishes to wash. Why so much spare food you ask? BECAUSE ONLY A FOURTH OF THE PEOPLE CAME from all the people that were invited and wanted to come. What do you do? Cry yourself out on the inside because of how tired you are and do the work. Finish and Goodnight!

Disclaimer: I may have sounded like my parents made me do all the work. This is not the case at all. It is my wish to work at home and help my mum out and she has done way more than I have yet treated me like I did all the work. I love them unlimited ❤ and huge respect to my mother and all the mothers around the World for handling their household so well for so many years. My mum has been doing this for 26 years!!!

After all, I am not going to lie, I had a great day! How did you celebrate Eid? Let me know in the comments because I literally love to know how people celebrate occasions like this. Snapchat is a great place to see that. I hope you also had an amazing day if you have celebrated it. Everyone's pictures on social media got me like 😍


Take Care,


Yours, Nafiza

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