In one week, India welcomed the Hindu New Year via Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Cheti Chand and Chaitra Shukladi, followed by Eid ul-Fitr marking Ramadan's end, with Ram Navami upcoming. These coinciding festivals underscore the nation's coexistence tradition. The piece portrays this as a daily experiment in pluralism.
According to an Indian Express article, on the Sunday morning after Eid, streets still held celebration's sweetness, with children clutching Eidi envelopes and kitchens smelling of sevaiyan. The past week saw the Hindu New Year arrive via Ugadi and Gudi Padwa, featuring neem-jaggery chutney symbolizing life's bitterness and sweetness. Eid ul-Fitr followed with moon sighting, mosques filled with prayers, and 'Eid Mubarak' greetings echoing. Ram Navami, celebrating Lord Ram's birth, approaches soon. The piece quotes Muhammad Iqbal: 'Manzil se aage badh kar manzil talaash kar/ Mil jaaye tujhko dariya to samandar talaash kar'. Firaq Gorakhpuri wrote: 'Sarzameen-e-Hind par aqwaam-e-aalam ke Firaq/ Qafile baste gaye, Hindostan banta gaya'. Brij Narayan Chakbast stated: 'Hum ko mita sake ye zamane mein dam nahin/ Hum se zamana khud hai, zamane se hum nahin'. These festivals convey renewal, restraint and dharma. India has practiced coexistence for centuries, where faiths enrich each other. Urdu exemplifies this composite culture.
