Bhopal: Muslims of the city of lakes will celebrate Eid-ul-Adha, a festival of sacrifice on Saturday. Considered holier than Eid-ul-Fitr, it is also known as Sacrifice Feast.
The festival is celebrated to honour obedience and devotion of Ibrahim (Abraham) towards Allah. The celebrations have changed with time due to lack of space and time especially in urban areas. Urban living no longer permits keeping sacrificial animal at home for a couple of months, as the tradition dictates; neither sacrifice is possible in small houses and apartment blocks. Besides, a section of young generation prefers to celebrate the festival in symbolic way. They don’t even adhere to the ritual followed by their forefathers.
Urdu writer Khalid Abidi (70) says, “We celebrate two types of Eid, one is Eid-ul-Fitr and another is Eid ul-Adha. Here ‘Adha’ means sacrifice. On the day, we offer Qurbani of animals like goat, buffalo, camel and sheep at home after offering Namaz. The feast of the festival is prepared after the sacrifice. People sacrifice an animal that is dear to them to prove their devotion and love for Allah. The meat is then cooked and distributed among friends, families and poor. It is believed that on the day of the Sacrificial Feast, no one should be left hungry.”
Abidi further says “We still follow the same tradition but the way of celebration has changed. Earlier my father used to purchase young goat and feed it properly. After two or three years the animal would be ready for sacrifice at home. But now it is not so due to lack of time and space. Now, we buy animals as per budget two or three days before Eid and sacrifice it either at our or relative’s home or in big madarsa.”
“Sacrifice is an important part of Haj. We don’t go on Haj so we sacrifice the animal at home. We live in a small house where it is impossible to perform sacrifice at home. So, we go to our elder daughter’s house for sacrifice. Some people also sacrifice big animal at slaughter houses and mosques,” says Hameedullah Khan ‘Mamu’, secretary of Iftekar Cricket Academy.
Rafi Sabbir, an Urdu playwright, says “It is festival of sacrifice and feast. Symbolically, it balances the system of nature. We follow the same ritual as practised in the past. However, the feeling has disappeared. Earlier, people used to purchase animals a year ago and sacrifice it after feeding and caring. But now it is not so due to lack of time and space. Pahle wali feeling ab nahi rahi.”
“It is true. The celebration has changed due to lack of time and space. Earlier we lived in joint family and had enough time to take care of animal. Now, we live in nuclear family. Also we don’t have enough space. So, sometimes we share money instead of sacrificing animals,” Tanveer Ahmed, a theatre actor.
Nusrat Mehdi, secretary of Urdu Academy said, “Nowadays, young generation doesn’t believe in such rituals. They believe in celebrating it in symbolic way like sacrificing our ego, which stops us from doing so many good things. We celebrate the festival like ‘Meethi Eid’ in Bhopal. If we have to follow the ritual then we go to our in-laws’ house at Allahabad.”
