No Eid Do

Sorry, no Eid party this year.

In the face of mounting opposition, plans for the annual Eid bash (see yesterday’s post) have been abandoned. “It was meant to be a happy occasion,” said Razia Khan. “We have been hosting this party in a restaurant out of our own free will and pleasure with no expectation whatsoever. Please understand, this is a major festival and we wanted to celebrate in a big way. If people object to this, what can I say?”
The objections have arisen, primarily on two counts. One, hosting the Eid party by Muslims was indirectly dividing the Club on communal lines. As Srichand Arora pointed out, “I don’t mind if everyone pitches in for the party expenses. But for one community to do so to the exclusion of all others would be sending a wrong signal across. We shall effectively be splitting the Club on religious grounds… which, to my mind, sets an unhealthy trend.”
The other reason for objecting to an Eid party is that it would become incumbent upon non-Muslims to host a ‘return party’. Last year, it was for this reason that the Hindus organized a luncheon do at Blue Waters restaurant on Diwali.

Nafisa Sayyad

Vandana Kankanwar

That was when some seniors had declared that such quid pro quo defeated the very purpose of celebrating a festival and must be stopped forthwith.
Harish Wadhwa had a third argument. He contended that we would soon fall into the trap of competitive hosting with one group trying to outdo the other. “The moment you migrate from the Garden for such celebrations, you run the risk of getting into hosting bigger, brighter, grander, swankier, costlier parties. And then there would be inevitable comparisons on the menu as well. Who treated whom to better food? Let us contain ourselves to the Garden, please.”
Meanwhile, news comes in of two lady members pulling out of the Club due to personal compulsions. Vandana Kankanwar has been advised by her physiotherapist not to indulge in exercises other than what is medically prescribed. And Nafisa Sayyad has had to relocate to Pune for domestic reasons. She promises to drop by in the Garden whenever she visits Mumbai.
Harish Wadhwa:
Sapna sach hua! Our blog has crossed yet another milestone -- 2.5 lakh hits. No words can thank the Blog Monster enough for making it so interesting and a regular affair. Kudos to you. Hats off to your composing and writing skills.
Jagmohan Papneja:
It was so nice of Razia & Co wanting to host a lunch for Eid. If we are not inspired and cannot reciprocate in the same spirit (for whatever reason) then it is perfectly appropriate not to accept the gesture.