Saud's family during Eid celebrations
A box of sweets stays unopened because the sister who loved it is miles away. A long drive with cousins is not as much fun with an empty car seat. A hug is replaced by an emoji sent across a phone screen to the friend living in the Gulf. As families gather for Eid, the absence of familiar faces is harder to ignore. For the absent family members, celebrations are marked by video calls, voice notes, and thoughts of celebrating Eid back home. The previous Eid celebration in the Gulf was severely affected, and various advisories and notifications were issued amid the crisis. While still not over, the situation has become slightly more stable, and the feeling of missing home has remained constant.
Celebrations reduced to calls, messages, and memories
“Eid simply feels different in Goa! Family lunches, meeting relatives, listening to the takbeers nearby, all of it is an irreplaceable feeling. Just being home again after months is enough,” mentions Inaz Sheikh, who has been living in the Gulf for the past few years. No matter where he works, Eid in Goa for him shall always remain special!
For Saud Shaikh, who has been living abroad for 3 years, the hardest part is not being with his loved ones. “I miss my family the most! I sometimes feel like what is the point of staying away to earn if I cannot be with them during this special occasion?” he reflects. Still, to him, the sacrifice feels like it is all worth it. “It is just like how my family made sacrifices for me and did everything for me,” he adds.
Quiet festivities far from family traditions
For both Inaz and Saud, Eid in the Gulf is a quiet celebration and missing home. “Here, Eid is simple and quiet. We pray, usually meet a few friends, eat together, and video call our family back home,” remarks Inaz. “While it is a festival back home, here, it’s just another day,” he adds.
Caught between work commitments and family, many Goans in the Gulf often find themselves putting the latter on hold. Yet, memories of past celebrations remain close to their hearts. “My favourite Eid memory is our cousins’ get-together. That was always the best part of the day,” recalls Saud. He fondly remembers the laughter, fun, and spontaneous plans that followed. “We would usually decide to go for a drive to the beach, my cousin Nabil made the arrangements, and we used to make the most of every moment,” he says, looking back on the celebrations that made Eid so special for him.
From restrictions to returning prayers
While the crisis has yet to fully subside, affected communities continue to find strength in coming together and rebuilding a sense of normalcy. Saud recalls how the situation was significantly different for the previous Eid celebrations.
“There were several government advisories asking people to remain indoors as much as possible. Eid prayers, which are usually held at Eidgahs, were not permitted to avoid large gatherings,” he says. This year, however, with conditions improving, worshippers were once again able to gather at Eidgahs and celebrate the festival more familiarly.
Hope of reunion and return to togetherness
But even as a sense of normalcy returns, many families continue to miss those celebrating Eid far away from home. The car seat will not stay empty forever. One day, the cousin will return, the sister will bring her own sweets, and greetings will be exchanged face to face rather than through a screen. Until then, families across Goa continue to hold their loved ones close in their thoughts and video calls, eagerly waiting for an Eid when everyone shall be home once again.
