Celebrate Eid Milad in Your Apartment Community
India is the land of festivals and number of festivals such as Diwali, Holi, Christmas, Bakrid etc are celebrated in different parts of the country with great spirit and enthusiasm. This year, in the month of February, Muslims celebrate the Mawlid -al- Nabi festival which is regarded as the anniversary of Prophet Muhammad’s birthday – the founder of Islam. Mawlid al Nabi or Mawlid festival falls in the month of January or February where people participate with great enthusiasm and religious fervour.
The term ‘Mila’d refers to the birthday of a holy figure and ‘Al-Nabi’ means the Prophet. During the Mawlid -al- Nabi, Muslims offer their prayers early in the morning; decorate their homes, narrate the stories of Prophet Muhammad, read the ‘Quran’ and recite poetry verses of their Prophet. During this ceremony of Mawlid -al- Nabi, they also lend out alms and food to the poor.
Thanks to India’s rich culture of unity in diversity the festival is no longer celebrated by only Muslims but also people from various religions equally take part in rejoicing the birth of the Prophet. Huge celebrations and a number of cultural programmes can be witnessed during this time and for you not to be left out here are a few tips on how you can celebrate Mawlid -al- Nabi in your apartment community.
Celebrating Mawlid festival in your apartment:
Traditionally the Mawlid festival is celebrated by Muslims in a number of ways. Many of them go on long journeys to mark this festival. For others who don’t like travelling as it may be cumbersome, they also celebrate the festival at their homes.
If you plan to have a celebration in your apartment community you could use these simple tips to prepare your festivity.
Decoration:– You can decorate your homes and the society with green colour glittering papers or with peacock feathers. Special lighting effects and arrangements can be fitted in your society compound for the glitters at night. You can also use Lanterns and candles kept in glass jars to give your home and the society a star lit effect. Decorative lighting can be used to decorate the gates along with an invitation board for neighbouring societies to also join in for the fervours.As a creative activity children can build models of how the Prophet Muhammad lived during his days by using Clay, Paper models or Wood carvings. They could also make cut outs of Peacocks and doves, to signify peace.A decorative model of the Mosque and a beautiful setting of the ‘Quran’, the Holy Book of the Muslim could also be done with colourful peacock feathers. This would also add beauty to the celebration.
Qawalis & Mehfal-e- Naat:- Qawali is a form of Sufi devotional music or song in praise of Allah. The Qawalis & Mehfal-e- Naat programmes can be organised during this religious ceremony where Muslim women could invite other women in the apartment community and gather together under a roof to arrange the Milad Mehfils where everyone could sing and enjoy the festivities.- Religious Songs or Films: – The people living in the apartments could play religious songs and salutations of Prophet Muhammad. Religious films about the Prophet, the struggles which he had undertaken and the teachings he had imparted to a number of people could be shown for everyone to understand the importance of the festival.
Fests:- During the Mawlid festival, a number of people from various apartments could come together and provide meals by making a number of delicious dishes for their guests and for other poor people too. The speciality during this festival has been the ‘ Zalabieh’ wherein others could also lend a hand in making this sweet which is made by mixing yeast, flour and water and is later shaped into round balls, fried and dipped into sugar syrup and served to the guests. They could also help in making ‘asida’ which is known as porridge which can be made out of butter and honey.- Cultural Programmes: – An entertainment hall in the apartment or a ‘pandal’, or an open space such as a park in the society could be used to organise a number of cultural programmes such as the playing of various musical instruments, dramas, skits, dances, magic shows, games, drawing, painting competitions or even a quiz on Prophet Muhammad.
Use these useful tips to have a fun time with your friends and neighbours in your apartment community. After all, the Prophet represents peace and how better happiness and peace can be made known than by living and celebrating life together.
