Can Ban on New Currency Notes Stop Eidi Tradition?

South Asian countries are rich in culture where exchange of money at different occasions possess significance. Elders dole out new currency notes on Eid-ul-Fitr as Eidi and the government has a key role in maintaining this custom.

Such traditions exist for many years and nobody literally knows when they became so deep-rooted that without them, the zeal waned s little.

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Muslims around the world decorate their homes, wear new clothes, do family visits, exchange sweets, cook delicious cuisines, go to amusement parks, and elders gift cash to their younger ones on the occasion of Eid.

In Pakistan, Eidi is considered an integral part of Eid-ul-Fitr and keeping the tradition in mind, the government prints new currency notes before the occasion.

However, the situation is opposite this time as the government urged people not to celebrate Eid with the usual cultural zeal due to the deadly covid-19 outbreak.

In this regard, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) announced it would not to print new currency this Eid-ul-Fitr that would assist in preventing the spread of coronavirus.

In response to SBP’s decision, people were forced to purchase new brittle bundles in black at a higher price to maintain the tradition.

Although the adults were not directly affected by the decision, children were impacted differently when they learned that they would not get new and crispy notes this year.

The religious element of exchanging gifts and wearing new clothes in Eid holds great significance but the crackling of new currency notes on Eid-ul-Fitr is equally important.

With the surge of the third wave of coronavirus, one can only hope that the colors of Eid to be restored next year or else, this Eidi tradition could lose steam and eventually fade in the years to come.