A graceful end to the Holy Month of Ramadan Kareem yet again this year was greeted by the advent of the first day of Shawwal, which is celebrated as Eid Ul Fitr, today on August 7, 2013.  The Dawoodi Bohra Community across the globe strictly complied with the Holy Month of Ramadan, with all their devotion to the Almighty Allah and his Messenger, Prophet Mohammad (S.A.W.S), and observed strict fasting, prayers, recitation of the Quran and charity throughout Ramadan, which is a 30 day period.

The Dawoodi Bohra community of Udaipur, thus celebrated the festival of Eid Ul Fitr with gaiety, a grand show of brotherhood and reverence, today.

The day started with the mandatory morning prayers (Fajr), which was followed immediately by the Eid Prayers.  The wee hours of morning saw all members of the community, be it the elderly, young or children, tredding along the path to their respective community Masjids, dressed mostly in their best white attire, donning Zari caps.

The children and women were dressed in colorful attire and the children also carried bags full of choclates, candies, etc to distribute them to all those present for the prayers in the Masjid in the morning.

Immediately after the Eid Namaz was done with, the men and women got together in their respective sections in the Masjid and greeted each other with ‘Eid Mubarak’.  Then they were treated to the much awaited ‘Sheerkhorma’ a milk based drink, served especially on the occasion.

The later part of the day saw the families strolling the Bohra colonies in their new and crisp Eid dresses and footwear, visiting their elderly, relatives and friends.

Where on one hand the Masjids wore a decorated look, on the other hand the Bohra dominated colonies, especially the Bohrawadi area sported a highly festive look, with people greeting each other with ‘Eid Mubarak’ children of a house getting together and playing, the brothers and sisters otherwise living in nuclear families getting together and celebrating as a joint family and the general tone being set for festivities for the next day or two.

Speaking of Eid Ul Fitr, there is an unlettered custom, where lunch is the focal point.  It is customary for the Husband to have lunch on the day, at his wife’s maternal home.  Such is the adherence, that towards afternoon, one can witness the husband ensuring that they are in time at their in-laws home for lunch, a rich serving of sweet dishes, samosas, kebabs, tandoori, meat, especial rotis called ‘Por’ or ‘Gakkhar’, Biryani, etc.

The daughters of the house are seen helping their mothers prepare a sumptuous lunch for their husbands; its a treat to watch a daughter-in-law helping her mother-in-law prepare food for the husband of her sister-in-law (Nanad), and then rushing off to her mothers house to also help her etc.

Another custom is what is called the ‘Deli Chaddhna‘, which is again a lunch that is prepared by a household for their daughters fiance, who comes with his friends to his fiancees house for lunch.  This is usually done on the first Eid Ul Fitr post the engagement being finalised.

All in all, a wonderful festival celebrating brotherhood, kinship, friendship and above all a means to thank the Almighty Allah for having permitted his devotees to celebrate the fulfillment of Ramadan.