With the advent of globalization, we have newer sources of entertainment. However, nostalgia brings back memories of older rural days when we used to observe our special days with simple yet colorful rituals.
In our childhood, we used to adorn Shab-e-Barat, a holy and special night of Muslims with great care and used to follow some of the traditions that have almost become extinct. Let us walk through the memory lane and recollect memories of some of those admirable rituals and lovely moments.
1. Sweets (halwa) were made at home to send that to the mosque so the poor people of the neighborhood may enjoy them. But children at home were barred from touching them before they were being sent to mosque. Well, that embargo added extra excitement to us and some of the naughtiest among us used to breach the rule albeit facing harsh punishment.
2. Roties were always distributed in odd numbers.
3. There was a huge competition between all the houses as who can send the most
number and most variety of halwa to others. We, the children, were not only the scorer of this competition but also had been most excited through the phenomena.
4. Before the day of Shab-e-Barat, we used to invite the street beggars and poor people and on the day, we fed the destitute people with minute care.
5. We used to see how the elders make their obligatory annual debate about the ‘proper’ way of asking special prayer throughout the night. The logics and anti-logics from the Holy Scriptures were barraged to each other and the things would often become little too hot for our likings.
6. Girls used to keep their wet hair untouched after a holy ablution as they believed the water that flowed through the hairs were washing away all the sins that were committed throughout the year.
7. Boys used to stay out of the home for the whole night to offer special prayers at mosque albeit some of them took the opportunity of an excellent whole-night hangout.