HYDERABAD: After a gap of two years, Hyderabad is all set to celebrate Id-ul-Fitr, the festival marking the end of Ramzan, Muslims’ holy month of fasting on Tuesday. For the past two years, Hyderabadis could not celebrate Id-ul-Fitr on a grand note due to pandemic-induced restrictions in place.
A lot of Id celebrations involve people doing things together, whether it is praying, eating or shopping.
For architect Sumaiyah Syed, Id would mean four generations of her husband’s family getting together in one house and reading namaz together. It is a tradition that has been going on for several years. In all, about 50 people would get together under one roof.
However, the gathering could not happen during the last two Ids. A tragedy also befell the family during the time, as her husband’s grandmother passed away last year. But this Id, three generations of the family, including Sumaiyah’s son, are all set to celebrate together after a gap of three years.
Businessman Aslam Ali said the things he missed the most in the past three years were offering prayers together, embracing each other post the prayers, and, of course, eating haleem. “During the first wave, we did not get a chance to offer prayers outside at all. We were missing the sense of togetherness which comes with it. We also certainly missed shopping at the usual places of Charminar, Tolichowki and Abids, which we did this time,” he said.
Advocate Zehra Rashid Anwar said she missed one of the most integral parts of Ramzan and Id – the festivities and atmosphere at Charminar. She finally managed to visit the monument on Saturday, and termed the festivities and the visitors’ enthusiasm as ‘unparalleled.’
“We also missed celebrating Id with the community. For the past three years, we were isolated in our house. We would miss calling people home for Iftar. On Id this time, we will call our near and dear ones for ‘sheer khurma’ and also host Iftari, where I will cook most of the dishes myself,” she said.
Mehmooda Hasan, a homemaker, said all members of her family would get together and read namaz on Id. But since the pandemic began, they made a conscious decision to avoid it.
She said, “We reside in apartments and don’t want to cause anyone harm. Not just during Id, we did not hold any religious gatherings in the past two years. We will resume it this time but only while following all the protocols like social distancing, wearing masks and using sanitisers.”
