My Ramzan celebrations started with me washing the utensils this morning. It may go on for another two days and may get more and more enjoyable with washing the clothes, wiping the floor and other Ramzan dhamakas. We were eagerly awaiting the appearance of Id ka chaand yesterday. Chaand disappointed us. Our maid Razia had said that starting yesterday, she would remain on leave till two days AFTER sighting of the moon.
After I left Bangalore I have been missing the excitement of ramzan. When I was in service I would at least look forward for the holiday. We have a standing invitation from Razia to visit her house on id day and sometimes we do. Other than that, Ramzan here is just another day.
Shanti nagar, where we had our house in Bangalore, also housed plenty of muslim families. We knew many of them by name and were on smiling and nodding terms with most of them. There, Ramzan was visible. Sitting in our veranda we could see groups of people dressed in pure white, with skull caps on their heads and mats or carpets in their hands, proceeding towards the prayer ground located behind our house. They would walk past our house exchanging greetings with each other and hugging the friends whom they met on the way. Even though we had nothing to do with their celebrations we used to feel the excitement and happiness around. Two of the muslim families were quite close to us. To our right was Mr.Jabbar khan and to our left was Dr. Sheriff. We used to get bowls of kheer, fruits and packets of sweets from both the houses. I have fond memories of both of them but will restrict myself to an anecdote involving each of the families which I always remember.
Mr Khan had a large family. His first wife was dead and he had re-married. There were his wife, two children from his first wife and four or five from his second. His house was already there when our house was built in 1962. He owned a timber shop in the market and was a very good friend of my father. He used to come to our place occasionally and spend quite a lot of time talking to my father. He was very affectionate towards us and always used to express his happiness about our advancement in studies. Unfortunately, none of his children did well in studies and the two, who were older than me, dropped out by the time they reached high school and he had to accommodate them in his business. When the results of my SSLC exam were declared, he was so overcome with joy that I had passed in first class, I believe he had purchased a big garland and a packet of sweets and come to our house to felicitate me! I was at my uncle’s place in Mysore that day and missed being a part of the genuine display of heartfelt joy and affection. I heard that he was very disappointed that I was not present to accept his felicitations. The garland and sweets were on my table when I returned the next day. I met him in his house immediately and he hugged me and wished me the best. I was very much touched by his gesture. Over the years we have lost contact. I hear that some members of his family, continue to live in the same house. I do not know if he is alive. I am ashamed by the fact that I did not even go into his house and enquire about them during my latest visit to Shantinagar.
The family as a whole, we had closer ties with the Sheriffs. Dr. Sheriff was a retired physician. His family consisted of his wife, a daughter who was a graduate and a son who was an electrical engineer. His house was built a few years after we had started staying in shantinagar and they came to reside there much later, after his retirement. Mrs Sheriff and her daughter used to come to our house very often and used to be the first invitees during the female gatherings in our house on various occasions like gauri pooja, tulasi pooja etc. Dr. Sheriffs daughter was married in the shamiana erected in the ground opposite our house for the purpose. Even after that, a visit to our house was a must when ever she visited her parents.
On the day of Krishna janmaashtami, my mother used to perform the pooja in the evening, and offer all the goodies prepared to the youngest child around, before we were allowed to lay our hands on them. One year, Dr. Sheriff’s grandson Arshad happened to be the youngest child around and his mother was asked to bring him. She brought him to our house after the pooja saying "ನೋಡಿ ಅಮ್ಮ , ಗೋಕುಲಾಷ್ಟಮಿಗೂ ಇಮಾಂ ಸಾಬಿಗೂ ಏನು ಸಂಭಂಧ ಅಂತಾರಲ್ಲಾ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ನೋಡಿ ಇಮಾಂ ಸಾಬಿ ಬಂದ ಗೊಕುಲಾಷ್ಟಮಿಗೆ." meaning, "look amma, imaam saabi has come to participate in gokulaashtami"
There is a very common proverb in kannada which is used while describing two absolutely un related incidents or two things which have nothing whatsoever in common. The literal meaning would be, what has Imaamsaabi (imaam is a very common muslim name and 'saabi' a colloquial suffix attached to the name of a muslim male denoting his relegion) got to do with Krishnajanmaashtami?
That year, in our house, Arshad ali khan was absolutely relevant during janmaashtami.
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