Divya Kaushik (BOMBAY TIMES; May 24, 2020)

No shopping, no visitors at home and virtual dawats — this Eid, celebrations will be a lot different from previous years, but Gauahar Khan is as excited to welcome the festival as she is each year. She says that Eid is the festival of sharing and spreading love and happiness, something which is much needed when people across the world are battling the Coronavirus pandemic. “Ramzan is the time for ibadat and we should keep this in mind as we celebrate Eid. I’ve been doing what I can to bring a change in people’s lives, and I see others are also coming together to help those in need. This Eid, there will be many people who’ll be celebrating without their friends and families, and I want to tell them that this, too, shall pass,” says Gauahar.

She adds that while celebrating, people must keep social distancing norms in mind and should not try to break lockdown rules. “We should understand that things are not back to normal. We should not come out to celebrate and break rules. Our safety, and even others’, is our responsibility, so we should stay indoors and celebrate responsibly,” she adds. Gauahar will be celebrating Eid with her mother, who is staying with her in Mumbai, while rest of her family is not in India at the moment. She says that her family has planned a Zoom session for Eid.

“Every Eid, my friends come over for lunch and dinner and we indulge in a lavish fare. Since there will be no visitors this time, we will just be cooking sheer khurma and biryani. I cook biryani every Eid, but my mom is here this time, and she cooks the best biryani, so I’ll let her make it, while I will cook sheer khurma,” she says, adding, “I also decorate my house on Eid, but since this time celebrations are low-key, I won’t do that. This time, I have decided to not buy any new clothes. I haven’t even ordered anything online as I know that there will be something new lying in my wardrobe. This Eid is not about lavish celebrations, it is about being thankful for what we have.”