Eid Mubarak! Mumbai’s Muslims bring back celebrations with prayer and gatherings

"This whole Ramzan has been very refreshing because it has been one without lockdown," says Maajid Ghazi, who is ready to bring in Eid with family in his South Mumbai home. The period leading up to Eid was special for the Grant Road resident because he was able to participate in a prayer said by the imam in the mosque. "We have a voluntary prayer - the 20 rakats of taraweeh that we pray every night. It is a big thing for Muslims and that has not been a part of our lives for two years but thankfully, we were able to do it this time," he shares. The 29-year-old still remembers the feeling of being able to go to the mosque on the first day of Ramzan, and it still feels like it was only yesterday.

Ghazi's words ring true especially because the last two years have been plagued by the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions that came with it. It is why many people across communities weren't able to congregate in large numbers at religious places. However, it is going to be different this time as the community can't wait to celebrate the festival with their family and friends.

Observing Ramzan was fulfilling, says the Grant Road resident, adding that plans are in place for Eid. "After two years now, we can go back to the normal Eid celebrations. We will start with a prayer in the morning, followed by a voluntary Eid prayer after that - where we congregate at one place that is either the masjid or an open space. This time, we will be saying it at the Gowalia Tank maidan. It will be followed by meeting everybody." Members of the community are eager to wish each other ‘Eid Mubarak' the traditional way, something they weren't able to do during the pandemic as it involves greeting and hugging each other. The wishing will be followed by feasting on some good food like sheer korma and chicken biryani for lunch.

Celebrating with mixed feelings
Like Ghazi, Ghatkopar-based Irshad Ahmed Shaikh is also happy that he was able to recite the taraweeh prayer, which had been evidently missing in the last two years as mosques were shut. "My family will be visiting my elder sister's house, where we celebrate with the entire family every year. While we will definitely be feasting on sheer korma and biryani, I am still not aware of the entire menu," says the 40-year-old, as his sister is yet to plan the feast.

Even as the celebration is set, the city-based travel consultant says he isn't as excited as he would have been otherwise due to all the unwanted troubles the Muslim community is facing in the country and around the world. "For me, personally, the joy of Eid isn't there very much this year because of all the things that are happening to Muslims around us - the people suffering not only in India but around the world." This is especially because he feels that there are very few festivals that are actually celebrated with joy that is not limited just to the family but the entire community, and when sections of the community are facing troubles, it is difficult for him to celebrate in the best way possible.

This is also a sentiment shared by Ghazi, who says he is counting on his faith that things will be better but he will be celebrating with an uneasy feeling because of the violence directed at the community in various parts of the country right now.

Family, friends and food
In Bandra, Faiyaz Virani is more than excited and looking forward to celebrating Eid like Ghazi and Shaikh with his family and friends. Virani is happy that he will be able to meet his family and friends unlike the last two years when everybody was forced to stay indoors and have smaller celebrations. He explains, "We will finally get to pray the Eid namaaz which is compulsory and visit our relatives and they will visit us, so we will be celebrating together." While Virani's family hosts an iftar party during Ramzan, Eid celebrations are even bigger as they have family and friends over on the day.

Virani, who is a city-based real estate developer, says it is definitely going to be different from the last two years for him and his family. "In the last two years, there was an environment of fear everywhere. We could not pray the customary Eid namaaz, we could not invite people home and could not go to meet our relatives and celebrate with every one either," he adds. This time around, they will start by wishing their elders and then exchange Eidi (gifts given on Eid), while enjoying special dishes like sheer korma, which even the family's non-Muslim friends love and will be coming over for.