The crowd was buzzing. When I say buzzing, yes I mean it.
I sat in the middle of that vibrant, happily buzzing crowd, alone.
A crowd consisting of small kids, school going ones, girls, ladies, old ones.
A crowd consisting of Black, White, Arab, Asian, African.

I was observing the Eid in US with curiosity and amusement. Last time, I couldn’t observe much of it, because I had just landed in US then. I had a lot of other things to learn and worry about.

Contrasting with the celebrations in India, the first thing you notice is the way people dress for the occasion. Most of the men choose to come in black suites, neat and trim like they go for a wedding party. Even women – no black purdah, no jeans-t shirts, no sports shoes or sandals, fully clad, head covered with a scarf. I saw it with surprise, how much they have adopted the idea of Eid celebration to their American way of life, that too without loosing the essence of the religion in between, as if going to a party hosted by God!!

In Kerala, we have Ifthars associated with mosques, but never a Eid party (atleast, I haven’t heard of). We go home after the prayer, have food and visit all friends and relatives. Here, after the prayer, there is a breakfast party for Eid. It is a potluck, where each family is supposed to bring food for 10 people. There were ladies who brought sweets for all who present ( count a 100 ladies + their men + kids!! ). Imagine a mix of delicacies of middle-east origin, and typical US sweets.

They stayed there after the prayer, chattering endlessly, hugging each other, renewing friendships… I watched the way Eid was fulfilling its purpose in the fullest of forms.

Is it over? No. Go for a free game of bowling arranged by the community. Also, they have arranged a free dinner for you in Golden Corral.

So, what was I doing in the midst? Since we had decided to celebrate it with our Indian friends, I had to rush back to prepare lunch. Plus, I don’t have any real friends in this mix of humanity, other than in smiling terms or wishing terms. So, I just watched it like a movie, to my heart’s content.

***
Every celebration evokes a strong nostalgic feeling of missing home and family.

My childhood Eid was celebrated by visiting almost every house in my place, since I used to have a friend, relative, friend-of-a-friend or relative-of-a-friend, in every house. Till the third degree relations were covered in the chain :-)

Later on, I used to focus on spending quality time with the close relatives. Growing up really makes you reserved to pursue the third degree!!

Though I miss my home, for this Eid, I feel content seeing the celebrations here. Also, I learned to make Sheer Khurma, which is the Eid delicacy in every North Indian State, so I was told.

Altogether, it was a day of knowing different cultures, of finding happiness in the smile of the world and not a day of contemplating what I have and what I don’t have in my life. I guess, when I am sitting in the mosque, God told me how lucky he made me. Did I thank him enough?

Eid Mubarak to all…