One month of fast (roza) turns into celebration as Muslims are celebrating Eid on Wednesday with fervour and gaiety. However, its not only Eid keeping the devotees busy in their shopping, but Ganesh Chaturthi will also be celebrated on ThursdayThe festivity voltage is doubled this year. With Ramzan and Ganesh Chaturthi falling back to back, the celebrations are going on an all-time high in the city. And for families with a mix of both Hindu and Islamic culture, it is definitely an enriching experience. Inter-faith couples in the city are all geared up to welcome both the festivals with joy and make it another memory to be cherished for life. One such couple is Kalyan Chakravarthy, a Hindu and his wife Sarvat, a Muslim. Talking on the festive mood at their home, Kalyan says, “It is always nice to celebrate both the festivals at home. We contribute and help each other. My six-year-old daughter Jiya is all excited about Eid and Ganesh Chaturthi and looks forward to them. She loves the Ramzan delicacies and Ganesh shopping.” He says that all their friends and relatives visit them during the festivals and enjoy participating in all the activities. “Most of the times Eid and Ganesh fall on the same day in such a case, we don’t cook non-vegetarian at home, because there will be puja at home. We celebrate Ramzan the next day along with all the delicacies,” says Kalyan. He wife Sarvat adds, “It is more of a reason to celebrate and I love sharing time with family and making the occasion more memorable.”Another renowned theatre personality, who has been a part of this cultural mix and has enjoyed festivals on both sides is Seema Azharuddin. Her father Mehmood Ali married a Hindu Shanti. Talking about the celebrations at her home, Seema says, “I have grown up in such an environment, be it any festival, there were always celebrations at home. During Ramzan we start our day with Namaz and take blessings from elders and there are family gatherings where we perform all customs in a traditional way. And on Ganesh Chaturthi every year we invite pujari to our place to perform all the religious rituals. After the puja comes the best part, the one which I always look forward to, laddoos. Then we also go for the Ganesh Visarjan on the 11th day.” “Every such event at home is predominant by the fact that we pray together, which is the whole essence of celebrating festivals. The festive spirit is always alive and yes, we all enjoy and take part in it. That’s the best part of it. There are no barriers of religion or community,” she adds. Part of this similar tradition are another couple, Zareef Unisa and Vinay Kumar. Describing the festive spirit at their home, one of their daughters, Niharika Kumar says, “Ramzan at home usually starts of with Namaz, after which my mother gives Eidi to me and my other five siblings. My dad visits the dargah and then all our relatives come home and we eat Sheer Khorma and other Ramzan delicacies.” “During the Ganesh festival my aunt helps my mother perform the puja and aarti and distribute sweets to our relatives. In the evening married women are invited for a Hindu tradition of haldi and kumkum,” adds Niharika.
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