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The congregational namaaz. The traditional embrace. The wafting fragrance of biryani. Whether it's in the historical Jama Masjid of Old Delhi or in a tiny little mosque tucked away in a village of Andhra Pradesh, the joyous spirit of Eid-ul-Zuha wraps all who come to offer their prayers. Celebrated on the 10th day of the 12th month in the Muslim calendar, Eid-ul-Zuha or Bakra Eid, is one of the most important festivals of the Muslims. This time around, it will be celebrated on the first of January, further escalating the festive spirit so typical of this season. Anwar, a student of Delhi University, told IANS: I will celebrate the New Year's eve with my friends and then rush home to help my parents with the preparations for Eid, which falls next day. Lots of running around to be done, but nevertheless, I am really looking forward to it." Gearing up for the occasion, people from all walks of life have started thronging the streets of Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi for their last minute shopping. Rubina Begum, a schoolteacher and a mother of two, has been coming here for the past two days but as she says "the shopping list seems to be endless". "Shopping for my kids is finally done but now I have to buy sewaiyan (vermicelli) and dry fruits," she says in midst of the entire hustle bustle. Nobody, however, seems to mind the crowd, the noise or the tugging and the bumping. "It's celebration time! Without the crowd and the noise, the celebration would look adhura (incomplete)," comments a jolly-hearted passer-by. Similarly, the narrow lanes of the area around Jama Masjid are all lit up, complementing the celebratory mood of the people. On the D-day, people, after offering their prayers in the mosque, perform the qurbani (sacrifice), which is the most important part of the festival. One can either sacrifice a goat or a camel, depending on their financial condition. Explaining the significance of this act, Mohammad Shuiab of Chandni Chowk, says: "Prophet Ibrahim did not hesitate to sacrifice his beloved son Ismail's life to prove his faith to Allah (God). Pleased with Ibrahim's faith and willingness, Allah commanded a ram to be sacrificed instead. To commemorate Ibrahim's devotion to the Almighty, a ram is ritually slaughtered on Eid-ul-Zuha." The sacrificed meat is then consumed and distributed among relatives and friends. Eid also happens to be a gastronome's delight. From the steaming aroma of the biryani floating in the air, to the delectable korma, nihari and haleem which simply melt into your mouth; from the crisp khaasta kachoris and mouth watering kebabs to the sweet surrender phirni, every household and restaurant seems to brim over with an array of delicious fare which few can refuse. "I visit all my relatives on Eid and feast on my favourite mutton biryani," quips eight-year-old Ahana, who has come to celebrate Eid with her grandparents in Delhi from Jammu and Kashmir. Other than offering alms to the poor who make a beeline in front of the mosques and the idgah fields where people offer their prayers, most of the restaurant owners also feed the poor. "After all, this is what Eid is all about," says M. Khan of Bismillah hotel near Jama Masjid.
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