Today I went along to a festival of Eid, the celebration that takes place at the end of Ramadan. BS5, cultural attache! This one was specifically for the Bangladeshi community, but they had a completely open invite.
'Eid Mubarak' was the title of the day, as it were. Mubarak means Welcome, I have learned. (I only knew of Hosni Mubarak, President of Egypt but he wasn't there).
The festival took place in the Church hall attached to my local church, St Luke's. No one else from 'our' church went along this time but I certainly accepted the generous invite and attended. I turned up at 3.15 and I was actually quite nervous because even though I have been to the church hall a zillion times, I did not know anybody except the 2 chaps I met after Friday Bingo, who made the invite to me.
My welcome was immediate and open, so I had no need to worry.
As promised there was a table laden with food and I was invited to tuck in. I tried a fish curry, a lamb curry and a vegetarian curry. I thought the veg' looked the nicest so I had quite a large amount. Turns out the veg curry was 800 chillies, quarter of an onion and a noodle. It was hot as rocket fuel and blew my shoes off. But I ate the lot!
I mustered my few facts about Bangladesh and managed to make pleasant chit chat about Bangladesh coming into being in 1973 (I think) and the cultural/language impact on Bengali speaking communities. After the dinner there was the usual sort of thing one would see at any celebration with small children singing songs (in Bengali in this case) and people generally chilling. Most people were from BS5 anyhow, so there was lots of chat about that too.
All quite smart and good stuff that an Islamic festival mixes it with our church; not always embraced in Bristol.
Quite an unusual Saturday afternoon. Almost grown up and sensible. Gosh!
4 comments:
I wish I'd been there! How brilliant to be included in such a special festival. Food sounds yummy! If only we could all except each others beliefs the world would be a wonerful place (sorry, nearly a rant!!)
My daughter, has just completed Ramadama-dingdong as I call it..she is following the teachings at the moment, to try and get some order and discipline in her life. Much of what I have read and learned makes much sense.
She goes to a muslim, type sunday school at the weekend for two hours and is very taken with it all. She even wears a long sleeved top under her skimmpy tops right now. I'm impressed at her 'devotion' and wont allow myself to appear surprised by her choice lest It encourages her for the wrong reasons to pursue this.
There are so many pressures for teens, with school, peers, drugs, sex, smoking, behaviour, I believe she sees it as a way to maintain some order. we will see what happens with interest.
Two very profound comments, thank you!
That sounds wonderful!
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