My experience of Aidil Fitri in 'Malabar' and Dubai

by Zawahir Siddique

  The webmaster of e-malabali.net suggested the other day that I write my experiences of “Hari Raya Aidil Fitri” [HRAF] in Kerala. I agreed. And then began thinking back, soon realizing that I was a “Malabari” who lived most of my life outside ‘Malabar’! Today, at 31, while I’m pursuing my PhD in Malaysia, I realize that I spent 20 years of my life outside India. And of the remaining 11 years, I have not spent more than two full years in ‘Malabar’! Oh my God. My ‘Malabari’ roots under introspection? Or should I say that the proud ‘Malabari’ brothers and sisters in KL have triggered my nostalgic past? Yes, I think there could be more reasons than not, for me to be happy about my ‘Malabari’ roots.

  Islam came to India through Arabs via Malabar. The first Mosque in India is in Kodungalloor. Malabari culture is unique for umpteen reasons. Ummi Abdullah’s ‘Malabar Muslim Cookery’ is found in bookstores and libraries all over India.

  I have witnessed at least 18 HRAFs in Dubai, where I spent the bulk of my childhood. There are more than 3 million Malabaris living in the Gulf and every Malabari feel at home in Dubai. In spite of bearing a highly cosmopolitan environment, Dubai is predominantly filled with Malabari presence. The patterns of Eid celebrations hardly differ from those in Malabar. New clothes, rich food and Eid prayers encompass the festive mood. I heard that there’s no ‘Eid Gah’ concept in Malaysia (perhaps owing to the outpouring rain and frightening thunderstorms, it would be wise to skip an open air Eid prayers!). But in Dubai and Kerala, you would find thousands of Muslims pouring into the Eid Gahs! We start from home after a light breakfast (tea and sweets). Takbir is chanted right from Fajr (Subuh as they call in Malaysia and Subih as we call in Malabar), till we commence the Eid prayer. After the prayer we have a sermon (Khutbah). Sometimes its torturing to have a long sermon under the sun while the Khatib is well sheltered under a shade!

   Whether in Dubai or in Malabar, some moments come to mind. Zakat is one of them? “Zakat” (duit raya as they call it here in Malaysia) for us as kids meant what our elders gifted to every child. Wow, that is the most entertaining event during Eid. We just accumulated the “Zakat” during the end of the day and preserved them to buy some stuff that we plan during the whole month of Ramadan. Visiting friends and relatives is a routine activity during HRAF.

  Two HRAFs in my life are deep rooted and unforgettable. One, in 1989, in Abudhabi, when we had top wait for more than hour under hot sun waiting for Sheikh Zayed (The President of United Arab Emirates) to arrive at Eid Gah. In the Arab countries, weird arrangements are made for the ruling family, even during Eid. I still remember that day, when while we were exposed to the burning sun, the Sheikhs came late and were accommodated inside the small mosque that was located inside the open ground. Hardly a Saff was occupied by these ‘VIPs’ and then followed the security guards followed by a huge vacuum. We, ‘ordinary’ Muslims had to sweat out a dull Eid prayer!

  The other HRAF that planted deep scars in my memory was in 1994, in Kannur (my hometown). That year the whole of Kerala Muslims (or should we call them Malabaris?) ‘celeberated’ HRAF on two days. The Wahhabis declared Eid a day later and the rest of the Muslims celebrated following 29 days of Ramadan. Some homes, especially some of my relatives’ homes, had people divided on this issue of ‘moon sighting controversy’. There were incidents where husbands were fasting as wives were celeberating Eid. Some of my cousins even denounced their parents as Wahhabis and viceversa for not arriving at a common HRAF!  I got out of my house after Fajr prayers and ‘migrated’ to Calicut where I joined my close friend for a ‘black’ Eid! We didn’t even attend Eid prayer. It was not a boycott, but a deep scar that would remind generations to ponder.

  Cheriya Perunnal or Nombu Perunnal, as we call HRAF in Malabar, is otherwise celebrated in jubilant mood in Kerala, as it should be elsewhere. Stomach upset after a month long fasting schedule is very common on the day of HRAF owing to the exorbitant feast!

  I’m anxiously waiting to witness and celebrate my first HRAF in Malaysia. I wish all Muslims (Malabaris and others), a resourceful Eid.

  EID MUBARAK!