In the subcontinent, the picture of Shab-e-Barat is quite different from the Arab world. A good number of Muslims is found clad in clean and crisp punjabis, and happily heading to mosques in numbers on the night of Shab-e-Barat.
It is not just salvation that they seek as one supposes. The mood of festivity among many of them centring the night can’t be concealed. In fact, these days the celebratory mood of the people has evidently overshadowed their religious fervour – “an act,” which kind of abrogated the very ground of the occasion.
It is because a large number of Muslims believe that, despite the lack of any Qur’anic or Hadith evidence to support this belief, Shab-e-Barat is the night of records and Allah records all the deeds that the humans have to perform for the next year. So, concentrating on festivity rather than offering prayer surely wouldn’t help the cause.
However, when it comes to giving opinions about the religious rituals, especially “any” of the religions, Islam is something that needs a scholarly mind of the right kind. So, there is no point in trying that out. Let’s just talk about the festive mood of the occasion.
Firstly, there’s the food. Muslim people want to celebrate with sweet food items as sweet symbolises Sunnah (the prophet’s recommended food) for them. They want to prepare holy food for the holy night. That is why the Muslim households make sweet items. This food brings extra enjoyment for the children. The sweet which most households prepare is halwa. Somehow, the dish itself has become synonymous with the occasion.
The households in Bangladesh prepare many kinds of halwa – carrot halwa, sujir halwa, lentil halwa, neshestar halwa, egg halwa, papaya halwa, and many more. Each of these items look so colourful and appealing that one must be tempted to eat. On this night, people not only eat halwas with their own families, but also send them to their friends and relatives to spread the festive mood.
It is not only in the households where the halwas are prepared. Sweet shops also sell different halwas on this occasion. People who can’t prepare this food at home buy halwas from the shops and send those to their near and dear ones. Even offices and corporate houses buy sweets from the shops and send them to employees officially.
To get the real festive mood of Shab-e-Barat, one has to visit the Old Dhaka. The streets of Chawk Bazar and Lalbagh become crowded with bread vendors. There are different types of breads, which are only made during the occasion of Shab-e-Barat. These delicious breads are made of raisins and nuts with a honey-coating and sesame seeds on top. It is customary for the people of Old Dhaka to buy bread and send them to their near and dear ones. Beside sweets, hotels and caterers prepare special biryani and tehari. Many households also prepare several Mughlai dishes.
It is however not just the food that evidently represents the festive mode of the occasion. The sound of firecrackers at almost every corner of the capital is something that has become a part of the Shab-e-Barat night. The firecracker sellers at Nayabazar, Bongshal, and Chowk Bazar have a field day ahead of the occasion. Though in the last few years, law enforcement personnel have imposed some restrictions on using firecrackers in residential areas. In the older parts of Dhaka, people still consider it a major part of celebrating Shab-e-Barat.
Another festive aspect of the night gets apparent with the lighting decorations. Many buildings are decorated with lights, especially the shops and the offices. This somehow resembles the festive mood of Diwali, a major festive occasion for Hindus.
In fact, scholars concerned say Shab-e-Barat celebration in the subcontinent has something to do with the Hindu festival. Most Muslims in the subcontinent are converted from Hinduism, but years of living together have made Muslims to adopt some traits from Hindus, especially in celebrating festivals.
With lighting decorations, sounds of firecrackers, sweets and good food, Shab-e-Barat has become a cultural ritual for Muslims the way Diwali is for Hindus. Religious bases for celebrating the occasion are of course matters to ruminate, but enjoying its festive atmosphere is something that doesn’t need too much pondering.
