#Eid

#Eid its the muslim holiday after a month of fasting Ramadan. Once a year my parents and I would make the journey from Delhi to my paternal home in Lucknow to celebrate Eid. 

We always reached 4-5 days before, I was the most eager to get to my grandmother's house. My father has a huge family and I was the only girl grandchild, my tiny body was passed from one embrace to another, my cheeks red with kisses. But all my attention was to run into the work room and inspect my outfit that my aunts would have been hand sewing for the occasion of Eid, it would usually be in final stages and awaiting my approval. They would meticulously hand embroidery and hand lace it.  

The morning of Eid I would witness all the men dressed in crisp white cotton head to toe starched in rice water and embroidered white on white at the lapel, with a matching hand embroidered and lace head cap heading to go to the mosque for the big prayer. They would sprinkle perfumed oil on each other and make silly jokes. My father on that one day of the year was the epitome of handsomeness for me (he usually was dressed in boring work clothes), my very first love.

The main hall of the house would be full of the smell of incense and saffron. There were huge colanders full of different kinds of meats and sweets, dates, turmeric and cardamom strewn across the floor. The kitchen had way too many women insisting they were the head chef and needed to be heard. I was the little hand that was in every pot, cup and plate. 

I was full of nothing but happiness in my heart, I remember the feeling clearly of giddiness and being spoilt with constant attention. Was the loudest and the proudest, I was in every conversation and in every room, there were no bounds to my joy.

I waited for the men to return from the mosque so we could all be ready in something shiny and colorful for their welcome home with sweet, milk drinks made by cooking vermicelli with dates and shortbread cookies with pistachios. And that was followed by butter breads with lamb kebabs.

And so on the day would continue with more servings of food, family and friend visits from near and far and I would almost always fall asleep in silks and zari on someone's lap with a smile on my face.