Eid Mubarak!

It is Eid tomorrow. Yes, Eid. A festival I was rarely aware about. And had I not been friends with a few people, I would be completely clueless about this very beautiful festival. Today I know. And I’m glad about it.

Actually, aren’t all festivals beautiful? There is something unique about each one of them …be it the lighting of the diyas, or playing with colors, be it singing carols and welcoming “Santa”, or dancing gleefully to welcome the Goddess of Strength …the list is endless. The list is only a way to depict how we, human beings, love to celebrate. Everything. Almost everything.

But there is a missing link. A missing link between the festivals we celebrate and the ones we don’t celebrate …between the things we understand and the things we refuse to understand …the happiness we believe in and the happiness which we decline to accept.

I had always wondered about this disconnect. Isn’t the main idea is to bring in happiness? Is the reason behind the happiness more important than simply seeing those happy faces? Alas! The answer for a few is a “Yes”. Though, I am glad these answer bearers are decreasing almost as steadily as I want them to, there are still a few of them …who refuse to see the light.

Why should we remain unknown to the great things in life? Unless of course, we are too sure that they are not meant for us. But how can we be sure? Ever? We cannot be. Everything is meant for everyone …somehow or the other. You just need to find that out. In due course of time, everything gets clearer. All the silly differences between the caste/creed/religion move out of sight. You start respecting the person. Not her culture/religion.

And why should we even care to judge anyone on the basis of what religion she follows? Or what festival he celebrates? Too petty no! Well eventually, it is about being happy, and no one cares how you do it, how you spread those extra smiles and bring that extra tad bit of togetherness …as long as you do it. Make someone feel good, and content, and thankful!

Being a Hindu shouldn’t stop me from celebrating Eid. Being a Muslim shouldn’t stop anyone from visiting a temple. Being a Christian, shouldn’t stop you from being a part of Durga Pooja. There shall be no place for these matters, if we concentrate only on making more and more space for Happiness. Yeah. Time to try it out.

Well, I am trying. And it feels so much better …better when tiffin with Biryani arrives at my place on every Eid, when home baked cakes are served on Christmas, when we dance till we drop dead on Navratri, and when we have a dozen people over on Diwali!

In the end, it is all about harmony and concord. It is about friendship. It is about all religions being one. It is about us “being Humans”. It is about the extra smiles we spread. It is about less of hatred …and more of love!