Friday, March 29, 2024

Memories of Eid past

Abdus Shakoor Shah
Artist Abdus Shakoor Shah is widely recognised for folk motifs and visual ballads in his paintings.
The artist reminisced on his childhood at Nishindhara in Bogra district.
“When I was a child, Bogra and the entire northern region were greatly neglected in terms of economic development. There was a big Eidgah Maidan by our village where people from different parts of the area used to come for Eid prayers. I went to the Eidgah with my cousins and uncles.
“There was a big pond in our village where villagers washed themselves on Eid day. The pond was deep and the water was clear. We enjoyed taking a dip early in the morning with relatives and neighbours.
“Before going for Eid prayers, we used to eat dudh-shemai. Bogra’s shemai was very popular in the country. On Eid day, we would wear new clothes and roam around the village with friends. In those days, Eidi was not a custom in our area, as northern Bengal was underdeveloped and badly off.
“For the special Eid meal, we would all gather at our yard and sit on a big mat. The meal consisted of korma, begun bhaja, potol bhaja and pulao. The day after Eid, villagers would play danguli, a rural game. At least 30 players took part in the game. We enjoyed it thoroughly.”
Mohammad Iqbal
Painter Mohammad Iqbal has earned acclaim for his moving works on children. He is currently teaching at the Drawing and Painting Department, Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka.
The artist grew up in Chuadanga district. Recalling past Eids, Iqbal said: “Wearing new clothes was the best part of Eid. I have many siblings and my father would buy new clothes for all of us.”
“Chand raat (Eid eve) was very exciting for us. We would chat till midnight and make plans for Eid day. Back in the day, Eid meant spending time with cousins and friends and enjoying special dishes. Even going to relatives’ homes was fun, as it meant more food and Eidi.
“Eid, during childhood, used to be more special and joyous than they are at present. I feel that our Eid days were far more exciting than those of my children. In Dhaka, people have become very mechanical. Children do not have ample space to play. They are becoming more sedentary and isolated. Nowadays, kids don’t even seem interested in watching the moon on Eid eve; they’d rather stare at the television.”
Babita
Eid celebration has gone through some changes. Our parents made sure we had new clothes and shoes for the auspicious occasion. Sometimes we had tailor-made clothes and it was exciting watching the tailor working on our clothes at the shop. After they were ready we would invariably hide it from our friends so that we could surprise everyone on Eid day.
Apart from that, there was the excitement of visiting the elders and collecting salami from them. When we lived in Jessore, it was customary to visit our grandfather on Eid day.
My siblings — Shuchanda, Champa — and I had a lot of fun together. Suchanda apa, as our eldest, would dress me up for the day. We had a competition on who could get ready earliest. We also used to watch newly released films at the theatres in Jessore. Later, when we shifted to Dhaka, this trend of watching films continued: we would go to Naaz and Gulistan. It is hard to forget those days.
Suborna Mustafa
My childhood Eids, spent with my parents, grandparents and siblings, are unforgettable. Other than wearing new clothes, on the special day we would make beautiful designs on our palms with mehdi. During Ramzan, we would often compete on who fasted on the most number of days. After the tenth Ramzan we would be more focused on the big occasion ahead. On the eve of Eid we would all gather on the rooftops to see the new moon.
Mosharraf Karim
Every year Eid comes and goes. But undoubtedly the gusto and the entertainment associated with it are gradually diminishing. There are times when I think about the past and wonder where those days have gone. I have a feeling that most people, even after they grow up, look back to their carefree days and beautiful childhood memories.
I still go back to those days: when we caught a glimpse of the new moon, all the children would gather and start jumping and screaming in excitement and that was how we would express our joy.
The entire night we would work out plans of where to go and how to spend the day. After paying a visit to the neighbours we would spend the Eidi that we had collected. During Eid we would usually wear panjabi-pyjama in the morning and shirts and trousers in the evening. We still do enjoy Eid holidays, but definitely the carefree life was the best of all.
Mamunur Rashid
My memories of Eid days are truly unmatched. I was raised in Tangail and the environment was purely pastoral. I remember several occasions when we would all go to my nana-bari (maternal grandfather’s house) on an ox-cart. On Eid day, a special menu of pulao, korma, and desserts (pitha, payesh etc) was invariably served up. Relatives would come visit us in new attire while we would go to their houses flaunting our new clothes as well.
Moon sighting was another important aspect on the eve of Eid. The moment someone sighted the crescent moon, excitement filled our hearts.
Wish I could go back to those days.
Sumaiya Shimu
During Eid most of my uncles and aunts would come to our house. Since I was the youngest among the cousins, everyone got nice gifts for me. This way every year during Eid I had a huge collection of clothes. What I liked most was after the Eid prayers it was customary to greet the elders and they would in return give us Eidi.
Faruq
Eid celebrations for me were very important and filled with excitement till the age of seven. Buying new clothes, taking them to the tailor to have them stitched and then putting them under our pillows so that others didn’t get to see them was quite common for the children. Wearing a tupi (cap) on the last three days of Ramzan was a must for me. But at the age of eight, when my mother passed away, Eid celebrations lost their appeal. I still manage to participate in the grand celebration but somehow the same satisfaction is missing.
Mir Sabbir
I was born in Borguna town and lived there till my HSC exams. Celebrating Eid was fun during those days. The most important thing of all was buying new clothes and flaunting them on Eid day. Now my son is five years old and I try to find the same excitement through him. I go back to my early days when I observe his excitement during Eid.
Azizul Hakim
My father was in the government service and he was transferred several times to a lot of districts. So, we’ve been to a lot of places in the country and experienced Eid in different settings. New clothes and shoes were a must have for us during the two Eid celebrations. Director-actor Salauddin Lavlu and I have been great friends since childhood; our fathers worked together. On Eid day we would both roam about and enjoy ourselves to the fullest. Even now we do enjoy Eid day, but somehow as a child it was much more fun.

 

Courtesy of The Daily Star

Related News

Festival honoring cultural diversity called “Sadhu Mela.”

Cultural Desk : dhakamirror.com The Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy organize “Sadhu Mela” on November 28 in a colorful demonstration of cultural diversity carrying on the custom that dates back to 2019. Taking place on the day of Fakir Lalon Shai’s Disappearance Day on every full moon, the event has become a noteworthy regular event in the ... Read more

BTS’ Jungkook to release first solo album ‘Golden’

Entertainment Desk : dhakamirror.com BigHit Music has announced the launch of BTS member Jung Kook’s debut solo album titled ‘GOLDEN.’ Inspired by his standout moments, the album is a tribute to Jung Kook’s journey both as BTS’s youngest member and as a solo artist. The album will drop on November 3, 2023. “Golden” will comprise ... Read more

Music video of ‘Aaij Kaail Aai Aile’ released

Entertainment Desk : dhakamirror.com Young singer Zahed Parvej Pabel released the music video of a song in the local dialect of Chattogram region titled Aaij Kaail Aai Aile on his official YouTube channel recently, said a press release. The song has been written and tuned by Sirajul Islam Azad. The music video has been directed ... Read more

Lucky Ali to perform in Dhaka next month

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Noted Indian singer, songwriter and actor Lucky Ali is set to perform live in Dhaka on 6 October. Buy Here Now made the announcement from their official Facebook page and said, “The curtains are up on the final pioneer – welcoming the timeless Lucky Ali Live in Dhaka on October 6th ... Read more

Florida Keys underwater music show promotes coral reef conservation

Entertainment Desk : dhakamirror.com Hundreds of divers and snorkelers took part in the event. Hundreds of divers and snorkelers have listened to an underwater concert that advocated coral reef protection in the Florida Keys. The Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival, which also spotlighted eco-conscious diving, took place at Looe Key Reef, an area of the ... Read more

30 bands to feature performance at Dhaka Summer Con

Entertainment Desk : dhakamirror.com The country’s biggest pop culture festival, Dhaka Summer Con 2023 will be held over three days from July 13-15 at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in the capital. 30 bands will perform on one stage at the first-ever Dhaka Summer Con to be held at Hall 3 and Hall 4 ... Read more

Madonna had to be ‘brought back from the dead’ using Narcan injection, sources claim

Entertainment Desk : dhakamirror.com Madonna was allegedly found unresponsive on Saturday, June 24, and had to be “brought back from the dead” by medical personnel. According to reports by Radar, the “Like a Virgin” singer was given a NARCAN injection to resuscitate her. NARCAN — also known as naxalone — is sometimes administered in emergency ... Read more

Madonna’s Celebration tour kickoff in jeopardy as pop icon is ‘weak’ from bacterial infection

Entertainment Desk : dhakamirror.com Madonna, the iconic pop sensation, was set to embark on her highly anticipated world tour in just 10 days. However, she is now facing uncertainty about whether to start her Celebration tour. Recent health updates about the songstress’ recovery from a severe bacterial infection suggest a challenging road ahead. According to ... Read more

Foo Fighters rock with Taylor Hawkins’ son Shane to drum onstage at Boston Calling

Entertainment Desk : dhakamirror.com Taylor Hawkins’ son Shane once again honoured his late father as Foo Fighters embark on their summer tour. On Friday, the 17-year-old joined the band onstage to perform their 1995 hit I’ll Stick Around during the band’s headlining performance at the Boston Calling music festival. Midway through the 20-song set, Foo ... Read more

Shams Ahmed won Emmy Award for Music Direction as first Bangladeshi-American

Entertainment Desk : dhakamirror.com Music Director Shams Ahmed has become the first Bangladeshi-American to win an Emmy award for Music direction for a Super Bowl LVII piece, “Ragged old flag”, at the 44th Sport Emmys. Shams Ahmed announced the news on his Facebook along with his Emmy award. “To receive this award is an honor ... Read more

“Deora” sets records on YouTube, gains popularity globally

Entertainment Desk : dhakamirror.com The fifth song from Coke Studio Bangla’s second season, “Deora,” debuted on May 7 and has since taken over YouTube. Surprisingly, the song racked up over 21 million views in just 11 days, breaking a record on the platform. The song “Bhaber Pagal” by Nigar Sumi and Jalali Set previously had ... Read more

Ticket price for Anuv Jain Live in Dhaka announced

Entertainment Desk : dhakamirror.com After much anticipation, “Anuv Jain Live in Dhaka” concert ticket prices have been announced through a joint statement by Adventure Communications and Triple Time Communications. The announcement was made through Adventor Communications official Facebook page Wednesday night (10 May). Triple Time Communications and Adventor Communications will jointly organise the event. “The ... Read more

Blackpink’s Lisa makes new history becoming the first K-pop soloist to hit 1 billion streams

Entertainment Desk : dhakamirror.com Blackpink’s Lisa is unstoppable when it comes to breaking records and making history in the music industry. Recently, the Thai idol has accomplished another incredible feat by becoming the first K-pop soloist to surpass 1 billion streams on Spotify with her album “LALISA”. As the lead single from her debut single ... Read more

Bangladeshi singer Masha performs in King Charles’ coronation choir

Entertainment Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladeshi musical sensation Masha Islam has performed in Britain’s King Charles III’s coronation choir. This is a huge achievement for the young singer, who has gained widespread fame for her recent song, Masha was a part of the choir virtually, as a part of various performances of the Commonwealth. The video ... Read more

Ed Sheeran celebrates lawsuit victory with surprising street performance

Entertainment Desk : dhakamirror.com After winning his Marvin Gaye copyright trial, Ed Sheeran surprised fans with an impromptu performance in New York City. The Grammy winner visited the Soho pop-up shop for his latest album, which was released on Friday, and was greeted by hundreds of screaming fans. Sheeran then took out his guitar, climbed ... Read more

Ed Sheeran cleared of copyright infringement in landmark lawsuit

Entertainment Desk : dhakamirror.com Ed Sheeran has been cleared of accusations of copyright infringement against Marvin Gaye’s 1973 song “Let’s Get It On” for his 2014 track “Thinking Out Loud” by jurors after three hours of deliberation. The British singer-songwriter had testified himself during the trial, demonstrating his songwriting process with his guitar for his ... Read more

Rihanna’s Super Bowl Performance Now Ranked as Most-Viewed Halftime Show Ever

Entertainment Desk : dhakamirror.com February’s Super Bowl LVII between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles is now officially ranked as the most-watched ever. USA Today reports that Nielsen revised the game’s viewership numbers, which means Rihanna’s performance has also become the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show on record, with 121 million viewers. While ... Read more

Ed Sheeran says he’ll quit music if loses copyright trial

Entertainment Desk : dhakamirror.com He considers the case to be “insulting” as a singer-songwriter. Ed Sheeran has said he’ll quit music if he loses the copyright infringement trial he’s currently facing relating to his 2015 track ‘Thinking Out Loud’. The pop star is currently being sued for allegedly plagiarising parts of Marvin Gaye’s classic song ... Read more

Linda Lewis, singer with five-octave range, dies aged 72

Entertainment Desk : dhakamirror.com London-born singer-songwriter had solo success and provided backing vocals for stars like David Bowie. Known for a five-octave vocal range and ability to perform a wide array of genres, she enjoyed solo success in the 1970s and provided backing vocals for such artists as David Bowie and Rod Stewart. In a ... Read more

Legendary Canadian folk singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot dies at 84

Entertainment Desk : dhakamirror.com Gordon Lightfoot, the legendary folk singer whose silvery refrains told a tale of Canadian identity that was exported to listeners worldwide, has died at 84. Representative Victoria Lord said the musician died at a Toronto hospital on Monday (local time). His cause of death was not immediately available. Considered one of ... Read more