Post-Eid Reflections: Missing the chaos of the city

It is as if Dhaka has been sleeping for the last few days.

Eerily quiet with a lull so palpable that I could almost hear the tree leaves rustle in the wind. I was missing the usual racket that goes on in any street, lane, or road of everyday Dhaka.

When I moved towards the main junctions, the ever-crazy city traffic -- which usually takes a toll on my nerves -- was in pin drop silence.

I am used to the sounds of motorbikes zooming past the narrow lanes of our residential areas; I am used to seeing a rowdy band of boys from my balcony making merry under the tree on the side of the busy road.

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The busy fuchka-walas and fruit vendors with their colourful vans of seasonal delights all were absent from their regular spots and what I missed the most was the voice of various peddlers drawing attention to their offers.

These things are so mundane you hardly pay attention to the noise and rhythm of everyday city life until you begin to miss them in such long holidays.

During the prolonged Eid holiday, my everyday grocer shut down his shop and went to his ancestral home. So, easily getting hold of eggs, butter or other essentials came to a complete halt. The local bazaar was also shut down and even if a few stores were open, the guard and the driver were on holiday too, and I had no handyman available to do household tasks. And God forbid, I cannot expect my husband or my son to run errands for me!

I realised on Eid afternoon, I was in dire need of oral saline, Napa Extra, and fruit salts -- the magic cure for gas attacks but all pharmacies were closed at that time of need.

Every Eid holiday, I begin to see the worth of my service helps. Cooking and scrubbing dishes are not exactly my idea of a break. I realised that on a regular day, we ignore these important people and while they take a deserved holiday, your rhythm of life falls apart. Your daily functionality breaks down and you are miserable.

So, do I want my Dhaka to take a long break or do I want my Dhaka to be always rushing? True, I did not miss the traffic gridlocks but I missed the people who make Dhaka beat; without them, a noiseless city gave me goosebumps.

I enjoyed listening to the chirping of birds but this peace at the cost of the smooth running of a house, was not appreciated by me.

Running a household is a bigger challenge than braving traffic jams. You do not want to mess with your daily routine or rhythm of household management.

Dhaka is dependent on its toiling masses — this is what a Dhaka homemaker realised this holiday.