PESHAWAR: On one hand, Eid is a religious festival and on the other, it brings the people together to share celebrations and thus, strengthening relations.

The festival is also an opportunity for the people to reconnect with families and friends.

This creates a wholesome culture of hospitality with many blends and tastes and gives birth to a new spirit of cherishing ‘share and care’ for solemnising humanism.

Families and friends traditionally share Eid greetings, which bring them closer by ending rifts, annoyance and misunderstandings. Special beverages, fruits and foods are served to guests.

Eid shopping never misses a special hospitality package and every family keeps a stock suitable to choice and taste of their expected guests. Sweets, cold drinks and vermicelli are common.

However, one special thing about Eid is that most people make extra arrangements for solemnising engagements or fixing dates for wedding ceremonies in the days ahead. Some people still get involved to make up ties and broken relations. Eid is considered the best occasion for patch-ups.

The word ‘meethi Eid’ is a just a metaphor.

The festival is in fact meant to ‘sweeten’ the sour relations. Young people plan short trips to hilly areas and scenic spots, where they cook food and enjoy dinning out in the open.

The way to serve guests on Eid day is different from place to place with people and people serve different things to guests and relatives and friends.

Meran Gul, a resident of Badaber near Peshawar, said few days ago, his elder uncle had an argument with a village storekeeper leading to a fight, which injured both.

He said the two lodged FIRs against each other but a village jirga stepped in and patched up things between them.

The resident said the second day of Eid had been fixed for the patch-up.

“I am very grateful to the jirga members, who saved us from a family disaster. We now anxiously wait for the second day of Eid when we expect a grand gathering at our hujra for making a permanent peace with the family of the storekeeper,” he said.

On Eid, offering cold drinks is quite welcoming but it may not go without rounds of vermicelli and dry fruits. However, it depends on the taste of the people involved.

Sajjad Ali, resident of Swat, said he served fresh seasonal fruits to guests on Eid, while a concert of light music at a friend’s place gathering enhanced Eid festivity.

“It is not only about eating together and instead, Eid is all about love, peace and tolerance. It teaches us to socialise and share festivities with the disadvantaged people,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2017