The Eid-ul-Fitr came last Wednesday in Bangladesh. By Tuesday afternoon I heard it was official: TV news channels had annouced that the national Moon-Sighting Committee had confirmed sightings on the new crescent moon in the south of the country -- thus marking an end of the month of Ramadan. This was the first year I've been in my village for Eid-ul-Fitr, and it was fun to see the eager anticipation and then the excitement when the day was finally called.
Kids in the village were out looking to see the moon themselves, and got busy with their stockpiles of firecrackers. For the men, it was a time to catch up with friends and relatives back for the holidays. But for others, the announcement meant that preparations began in earnest. Khala, the mother in my host family, was cooking all evening, and then up again at 3 a.m. to start work on all the sweets that made fresh for the day.
Eid day began with dressing up in the new Eid clothes -- long panjabis for the men. And then after the morning Eid prayers, the visiting began. I was taken off to town by one neighbor, and then on another tour by Shuvo and Anwar (below). By the time I finally got back home that evening, I had visited a half dozen homes, two historical sites outside town, a zoo & park, the operator's room at the Bogra cinema, a foundry and a textile mill. I'd also eaten sweet shemai in every home, plenty of sweet tea, and had four very rich meals of pulau rice and meat curry.
Thankfully the next couple days of the holiday were a little more relaxed: mostly just at home with the extended family who were visiting, and a couple dawats (invitations).
