Another Ramadan has arrived riding on the wings of time. Another Ramadan has
come amid the pandemic. No religious congregations, iftar get-togethers in 2021,
just like it was in 2020 - a quiet Ramadan for me and my family here in the US.
My husband and I got our first COVID-19 jabs the day before Ramadan. My
body tolerated it very well, but my husband was down with mild fever and body
ache, although well enough to fast. We were planning on visiting Bangladesh in
June to see our parents - we even bought the airline tickets. But with cases
rising in Bangladesh, the hope of traveling there now hangs by a thread. It is
now more than likely that our flight will have to be canceled. It has been more
than one-and-a-half years since I met my parents, my brother and his family.
Those of us, who have chosen to leave “home” and make a new home away from home,
have our own struggles. My life is better here in the US in many ways, but no
one place can make you absolutely happy. There are opportunity costs attached to
every decision you make - I miss spending time with my family, I miss relishing
foods prepared by my mother. I have not seen my one and only nephew yet, because
I could not visit Bangladesh in this lockdown situation. My nephew is more than
a year old now. The way things are looking, by the time this pandemic is over
and I finally manage to visit Dhaka, he might be starting his pre-school.
In this Ramadan, I miss my family more than ever - perhaps because everything
around life is so uncertain in this virus-ravaged world. People are falling ill
and perishing within a matter of weeks - just like that. I often reminisce about
Ramadan back home - the iftar fare, the sound of Fajr azan that reverberates
through the city after sehri, and the anticipation for Eid-ul Fitr. This year to
make Ramadan a little special, we decorated our living room. Every evening, we
turn on the decorative lights we have placed on the mantle to add a sparkle to
the space. It looks and feels beautiful-festive.
Aarong, a leading fashion house in Bangladesh, now ships their items to the US. I was over the moon after finding this out. I ordered a shalwar kameez set and a
kurti for Eid. They arrived in less than a week via DHL. Just touching these dresses that arrived all the way from Bangladesh made me nostalgic. এই জামায় আমার দেশের গন্ধ মিশে আছে।
Last weekend, we drove to Edison, New Jersey, the township that boasts the largest Indian American population. We bought a shalwar kameez set for my daughter to wear on Eid day. This was the first time we bought an Eid dress for my daughter
from a US store. We have no big plans for Eid. We might go on a long drive and
cook a special meal. The three of us will try to make it special in our own way,
but honestly, Eid is not fun without friends and family.
I look forward to a healed world when we can mingle, travel, laugh, and enjoy life like the good ol’
days. When will this world heal?
Comments