Eid celebrations that bring you closer to home

Eid celebrations that bring you closer to home

The holy month of Ramadan is marked by fasting, & this month ends with the feasting day of Eid, the entire country comes together and celebrates as one nation. That’s the beauty of India’s secularism. From the delicacies on the table to embodying the concept of promoting peace and harmony by forgiving grudges and embracing one another, Eid is undoubtedly one of the most important celebrations in India.

While secularism in embedded in India’s DNA, so is diversity. And this is why, besides adhering to the unified aspects of Eid as mentioned in the Qura’an, celebrating Eid in India will also introduce you to different regional interpretations and inclusions.

How is Eid celebrated in India?

Starting the day with special prayers

Wake up early on Eid day and you will see a sea of devotees clad in traditional attire on the streets as they make their way to the mosque for Eid prayers. Whether it is the Jama Masjid of Delhi or the Erumeli Vavar Mosque in Kerala, the mosques come alive with soothing low chants and several heads bowing in unison. The entire community, with different seating arrangements for men and women, concludes the fasting month by offering the special Eid prayer in the morning.

Embracing the divinity within each other

Once the prayers are done, Muslims greet and congratulate each other by embracing three times. While it is not permitted for members of the opposite gender to embrace each other, they shake hands to show love and warmth.

Lending a hand to those in need

An important pillar of Ramadan is giving zakat or a small percentage of a person’s property to charity. This money goes towards helping a sizable chunk of the community and including the underprivileged in Eid celebrations by buying clothes, food ingredients, and even towards bigger goals, such as marriage and education.

Lay it on the table; it’s time to feast like kings

Whether it is hours of stirring the sheer khurma or the chopping of dry fruits for the biryani, at many households, the preparation for the Eid feast starts the night before. On Eid, you see people from different religions and all walks of life sit together and share a meal. Depending on which region you are at, the typical Eid dishes acquire a different regional flavour. Take, for instance, the favourite dish, Biryani, from the mandatory inclusion of potato in Kolkata biryani to the extremely spicy Hyderabadi biryani, every region breathes in a different identity to it.

Time to bring out the Eidi

Perhaps the most exciting part of Eid for children is the time when elders distribute money to the kids, which is called Eidi. However, some households may choose to distribute gifts instead of money.

With so many festivals that India is home to, Eid finds a prominent place on the list. If you’ve been away from your home country for long or want to experience how the entire nation lights up with merriment, planning a trip during Eid is the perfect time to experience the festival from a new lens as well as find similarities in the way you celebrate it in the UAE, or on any other part of the world. Just like Eid does, HDFC Bank NRI Banking helps you bring a sense of warmth, happiness, and festivity in your life and families even if you are away from home.

If you want to open an NRE Savings Account or NRO Savings Account, or if you want to Send Money to India or looking to invest in Fixed Deposits, Mutual Funds or Portfolio Investment Schemes, HDFC Bank NRI Banking offers a gamut of services exclusively designed to serve the needs of the NRI diaspora.

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Happy Eid folks!

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*The information provided in this article is generic in nature and for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for specific advice in your own circumstances.