As part of our theme of home related topics, we will be covering most of the festivals celebrated in India. After all these are rare occassions when people get together as a family at their homes.

Tomorrow is the Muslim festival of Bakrid. Unlike the Christian festivals, Muslim festivals do not occur on a specific date of the calendar that is familiar to all of us (Gregorian calendar), they follow a lunar calendar and hence, the festival dates will keep shifting from year to year.

This festival is known as Bakrid only in India. I was amazed at the number of names it has all over the world. I stopped counting after I reached a dozen names. I am serious Its most popular name outside India is Eid-al-Adha or the Festival of Sacrifice.

Bakrid name probably derives from Baqra-eid, which means that a goat/lamb sacrifice was usually involved as part of the ceremony. Mostly though, it is supposed to be a time of sharing with poor, friends and relatives; the meal that your family is to have that day. I find its message very similar to the Thanksgiving festival celebrated in America, which is also based on the sharing and giving thanks theme.

So a happy Bakrid to everyone from our side.