Eid reverberations...lessons learnt at the cost of 2 litres of Pepsi

The preparations of Eid started out on a low note with floods ravaging the country and hearing bad news all the time. The air just didn't seemed to be right to be festive or cheerful. I tried to get into the Eid spirit by applying henna on my hands much to sisters' surprise, as I have rarely been enthusiastic about the henna applying ritual which has always been a tradition of Eid celebrations. Things seemed to be going pretty well till I dozed off with the tattoo still fresh on my hand and much to my horror and amusement of everyone else, I woke up to a big orange colored splotch on my chin! Thank God the wonders of makeup, the ugly patch was well hidden with my wonder concealer. (Imagine having to walk around with it all day!) 

With the orange splotch forgotten, got to more pressing issues at hand, the ultimate Eid socializing saga. I thought it was a good chance to lighten up a bit and yes collect a few Eidi's (Present money given on Eid). With the spirituality gained throughout the month of Ramadan out the window in minutes, the aunties we visited tried to stuff us with all the Sheer khorma, Kheer, Gulab jamuns, Channa chat ( few delicacies which make up the eid even more special). It was the ultimate task of every aunty not to leave us without us having tasted each single of their savory dishes. The same aunty who used to be lecturing me about how girls should look good prim and petite when I was chubby (beta larkian patli he achi lagti hain) was now constantly pressing me to have something "Uff beta itni kamzor ho gai ho(You have gone so weak) Have some haleem. No? Chalo have some gulab jamun. Atleast have some chana chaat"  The poor soul just wouldn't stop pestering. I wish I could throw up on the her new persian rug just to get across the point how happy I was with my new (somewhat) emaciated self. 


With still a few houses to go to, I badly needed to revise my culinary strategy. Graciously accept whatever drink the host(ess) had to offer (thinking what harm a few glasses of juices or sodas could possibly do me) and politely decline the edibles but who knew what I had gotten myself into! 

Everywhere we went, a glass of Pepsi came staring into my face. I've never been a big fan of carbonated drinks especially the black ones, the most I ever have is to gulp down a steak or big mac. 


But I was fated to one glass of Pepsi after another (so people really did take the pepsi business seriously after all).Oh God the Pepsi karma was getting back to me! During the whole month of Ramadan we had been literally harassed on our TVs by this advertisement in which a lady turns around and says "Kis ne kaha tha Pepsi pe 5 rupay kam kar do" (Who said to reduce the price of Pepsi) (The video is attached for the benefit of those who haven't seen it.) 







Imagine having being hammered with it again and again(though this is much lesser annoying version of the add). The poor soul has been a constant target of everyone's (me included) ruthless mockery and stupid jokes to this day but why did I have to pay like this! 


Anyways, almost 6 glasses of Pepsi later ( that's almost the amount of water you need daily to stay healthy and alive),drenched in the darned soda, I was thankful the Eid frenzy was over!


Mom was reminded she had to visit her uncle whom she hadn't met in a while. I could have gladly stayed at home but no the thought of getting Eidi made me trod along with the group. After all they would be tired after day long of entertaining guests and they would have run out of the day's supply of Pepsi anyways but no it seems "Save Rs 5" opportunity is too precious to let go off that easily. 


Mom's aunt looked hopefully my way (where was that darn Persian rug) "Chal shabash jaldi se pi le mera bacha!" So much for not having the guts to say no...


Lessons learnt:

• What starts bad is doomed to get worse. (Read: What starts splotchy is doomed to get you choked or even drowned!)
• I am never going to mock, remotely make fun of someone even if he/she ticks me off to the extent of me wanting to bang my head against the wall and yes karma really does work!
• Greed comes with a price
• It's always I who has to pay the price!
• Saying no is way better than being courteous.
• I would throw up on a glass of Pepsi and the Pepsi lady anytime, anywhere!
• Anyone for stupid Pepsi jokes?!

Call from Nowshera

I had once strolled along the banks of river Kabul enjoying the scenic sunset along it's shores. I remember being intimidated by it's immensity but I never thought it would raise to this extent to destruct whatever that came its way. The days we were in Nowshera, there were reports of Nowshera being in the danger of  flooding had it rained this heavily as it did this time around.The most that happened those monsoons was that the parks around the river had to be closed for the public due to dangerously high levels of water in the river.

A view of River Kabul taken on one of my walks from better days.

I can never thank Allah enough for saving us from the destruction of the ravaging waters then but seeing the devastation of the river unfold infront of me from what I saw on news and from what I heard from acquaintances, I couldn't keep myself from thinking what it would have been like had we been in the midst of it all. I was hit with a myriad of  questions,  how does it feel trapped in ones own home and see the world falling around you? Was I doing enough to help out the flood victims from the premises of my home? When I set out as a volunteer I expected many of the queries in my mind to be settled but after seeing the scale of destruction in the areas I visited , I ended up being  more disheveled than before.

A view of destruction at Jahangira
Photo courtesy: Sayyed Ahmad Masud

Photo courtesy: VfP

I along with the volunteer group, Volunteer for Pakistan (VfP) tried in our little ways to help out the afflicted by setting up a two day medical camp at Charsadda and distributing aid and household stuff in Jahangirra/Nowshera. Coming face to face with the victims I realized the range of our day to day problems is so minuscule compared to what fate has endowed on them.


Every person I came across had their own story to tell. Many retold accounts of how they had to flee their homes with nothing but their lives having traveled many a miles before reaching safe grounds. The blisters and injuries on the feet of many were a testament to their hardships. It was heart breaking to see the extent of depravity to which these people have been reduced.
I came to know about a man at the camp whose three houses in a row went down with the overflowing river along with the ground they stood on with nothing left but the memory of where they once stood. And then there were women with very ill health and fragile states of mind few of them trying to cope with their pregnancies away from the safe shelters of their homes.  


My heart went out most to the children all age and sizes some oblivious and others confused about all that was happeneing around them,trying to hold on to what little enjoyable moments came their way. 

Photo courtesy: VfP

Photo courtesy:  Sayyed Ahmad Masud

While many are trying to make sense of their lopsided lives, it was good to see a few who had recovered trying to make an attempt at returning to normal. Apart from the heart breaking encounters, I had some light moments to take away from the experience too. I will always remember with fondness the 8 year old boy who refused to wear the new slippers he just had been given lest they got dirty and carried them around like a well earned trophies. 

A happy little girl at Charsadda camp on receiving medicines and a new pair of slippers
Photo courtesy: VfP

None of us can truly fathom the devastation faced by these people. Obviously I was disturbed after seeing it all first hand but it further firmed my belief in the frailty of this world and in something greater in this universe whose power and plans are above us all.

Few of the lucky ones (I don't know if that's right to say or not) have the standing skeletons of their homes to return to. The place is said to have remained submerged in water for 36 hours. If you look closely you can see the the line to which the water had risen. The river is visible in the background.
Photo courtesy: Sayyed Ahmad Masud

Whilst we jovially indulge in eid preparations and festivities, these people try to piece together their broken lives. While many a newly weds-to-be are muddled over which photographers and makeup artists to choose from, a mother somewhere grieves over the dowry of her daughter swept away with the floods which she had pieced together so longingly over the years. As we work over creating the perfect set of clothes and matching accessories for eid, these people graciously accept whatever comes their way.


What these people have lost, will take years to build and for doing so they need our unending and and sustained support. This Eid do remember them and keep aside if possible not much but a little part of your Eidi for those in dire need. Maybe that will buy some forlorn kid a pair of new shoes. Not much for you but might mean the world to the little soul.