Swara Bhaskar on Bollywood Bole Toh: Eid is for Muslims?

As a child I had no idea that festivals had religious connotationsFestivals are normally in human society a cause for celebration and exchange of greetings and good wishes between friends and strangers alike Not so on my Twitter timeline where on the occasion of the recently celebrated EidulFitr trolls decided to wish me with abuses and offered a taunting invitation to eat cows Eh As a side note I am Hindu one who has been trying desperately to go Vegan for the past year but who said facts were ever an obstacle for the genuinely hatefulIt reminded me though of how for a large part of my childhood years my brother and I had no idea that festivals had religious connotations We didnt know Christmas was Christian Eid was Muslim GuruPurab was Sikh and Diwali and Holi Hindu As far as we were concerned Christmas was when we got presents and socks full of sweets Diwali was when we got money and a chance to hog as much kaju katli as we liked and Holi was an excuse to go ballistic on the neighbourhood and not be scolded for bad behaviourWe began to celebrate Eid when one year the usual special assembly for festivals was held in our junior school After the prayer a girl in a salwar kameez and a boy in a kurta pajama came to the mic and began Eid is the festival of happiness and fulfilment On this day our wishes come true New clothes are worn on Eid Children get presents called Idee Delicious food is cooked on EidSwara BhaskarThat day a boy named Salman in my brothers class brought mithai for tiffin He gave it to the homeroom teacher Anjali aunty who announced Salman has brought sevai for us Everyone came and ate two spoons It was delicious my brother saidLater when we came home from evening playtime our parents were in the dining room having tea Salman brought sevai for class today my brother said Oh yes Its Eid tomorrowI completely forgot replied papa In school they said children get presents on Eid Why dont we get any You get presents on Christmas said mumma So why cant we get presents on Eid I asked Because we dont celebrate Eid Said mumma Why not In the Armed Forces all festivals are celebrated papa said thoughtfully I never knew you wanted to celebrate Eid mumma smiled We do said my brother and me firmly greedy for more presents Okay she said simplyThe next day mumma made sevai and made papa get kababs from Sonkers in Delhis Khan Market Papa gave us R10 each and we bought two packets of Uncle Chips Eid was satisfactorily celebrated My parents had gone for the essence of what festivals ought to be about a reason to spread joy I dont know whether it was a conscious decision on their part but as a result of this attitude I was unaware that I was a Hindu and those who celebrated Eid Muslims until I was in doubledigit years It was only when we got to senior school in Class 6 when I heard boys in a fight calling another boy Katuaa and decided to investigate what katuaa meant that the entire gamut of human social organisation based on faith institutions leanings and complex interpersonal relations tumbled upon my brother and me And I remember what our biggest concern was upon achieving this enlightenment Does this mean we will not get presents on Christmas and EidSo to my dear Eidtrolls Perhaps life really is that simple Perhaps there will come a time when the celebration of one community will not cause bile and malice in the hearts of another But for that we must begin by not killing and lynching in the name of cow pig buffalo bull chicken or GodSend your feedback to mailbagmiddaycomThe views expressed in this column are the individuals and dont represent those of the paper