Eid of your Favourite Zee TV stars

Look at what your favourite Zee TV stars are up to this Eid …

Iqbal Khan (Rudra of Sanjog Se Bani Sangini)

Typically, I wake up before sunrise on the day of Eid. My family and I offer Salatul Fajr, clean our teeth with a Miswaak or a brush, take a shower (Gosul) after Fajr, put on new clothes and dab on some perfume before attending the special Eid prayer (salah). My parent’s stay in Kashmir and whenever I am away from them due to shoots or personal commitments, I miss them a lot. My wife makes sure she compensates for this loss. She prepares an elaborate feast along with Sheer Kurma, my favourite dish. Tasting these traditional home-made goodies makes me really nostalgic! As a child I used to look forward to receiving Eidi, small sums of money, from elders and new clothes.

Lubna Salim (Jasoda of Mera Naam Karegi Roshan):

In my family, Eid is all about trotting on an elaborate gastronomical trail throughout the holy month and also on the day we break our fast. I love to cook and the elaborate feast makes sure the kitchen is abuzz with action.

I remember queuing up with my cousins and siblings to receive Eidi from one of my uncles who used to keep a wad of crisp bank notes, which he distributed among children. I still remember the thrill of receiving those ‘Karare notes’. Being the eldest child of my parents I used to get the maximum amount of Eidi. In the evenings we used to pool in all the money and buy things, which were on our priority list.

Times have changed and my children demand designer clothes and Eidi in thousands. It’s a tradition in our family that every year we go to Mohammad Ali road or Bhindi Bazaar and savour the delicacies there. On the day of Eid we call our friends and relatives for a feast and our Hindu friends love coming over and gorging on the ‘sewaiyaan, pulao, biriyani and sheer kurma’ prepared by me.

Sana Shailkh (Reet of Mera Naam Karegi Roshan)

Eid is an Arabic word meaning ‘festivity’, while Fitr means ‘to purify’; and so the holiday symbolises the purification after completing the fasting month. This is the most special festival in our calendar and every year has been special. My favourite dish is the mutton biriyani and my mum makes the most scrumptious biriyani in the world. In the evenings I used to spend my Eidi on eating out. There used to be an overflow of food at home but eating out with my own money made me feel like a grown up.

Waseem (Anuj of 12/24 Karol Bagh)

Whenever I think of Eid, the first thing that comes to my mind is how, as kids, we used to be all excited about receiving new clothes and Eidi from the elders of our family. I used to go out with my cousins in the evening and burst fire crackers. In recent years, I have always tried and joined my parents during Eid but this year I will not be able to go back home because of my hectic shooting schedule. However, this will be my first Eid with my fiancee as she has come down to Delhi specially for celebrating Eid with me...so I’m looking forward to it. I wish everybody ‘Eid Mubarak’...

Khurram (Top 18 - Contestant from Pakistan, SaReGaMaPa Singing Superstar)

This is the first time I am away from my family and friends during Eid and my eyes are filled with tears when I think about them. I remember the night before Eid when the entire markets in Pakistan would be lit up and there would be an air of festivity. We would shop the whole night and in the morning go for the ‘Eid Ka Namaaz’. We pray in huge open grounds and after the prayers are over, gorge on various sweets and delicacies prepared at home.

This year will be a special Eid because I will be spending it with my new family here on the sets of SaReGaMaPa Singing Superstar. People here have ensured that I don’t miss my family and have a blast in India.

Kamal Khan (Top 18 – Contestant, SaReGaMaPa Singing Superstar)

The feeling of ‘a home away from home’ is taking some time to sink in especially during the festive time of Eid. We have a tradition that all our family members and relatives would get together and eat, sing, dance and make merry!

Although I feel at home here on the sets of SaReGaMaPa Singing Superstar, sometimes I feel tempted to run back home. But at the end of the day, Allah has given me the opportunity to make a mark in the music industry and I would ensure I give in my best.