A memorable, family affair
Eid for us is a family affair, where all our relatives and friends come together to celebrate the occasion (“Eid Al Fitr holiday announced for private sector workers in UAE”, Gulf News, June 13). The two things that I most look forward to on Eid are the special, home-made sweets and Eidiya, money given to youngsters by the elders of the family. Our Eid celebration is usually simple. The day starts with going to the mosque for prayers. This is then followed by a traditional Pakistani breakfast with family and freshly prepared Eid sweets. Soon after the breakfast is done, Eidiya is then distributed amongst children. Lunch is often done late and may include a home-cooked meal or food from outside, or a combination of both, depending on the number of guests at home. The second day of Eid is equally looked forward to since we go for an outing to other Emirates. But since the weather is quite hot these days, malls are the best option. Also, this Eid is very special for my family because this will also mark the first Eid for my niece, who is just six months old.
From Ms Fatima Suhail
Sharjah
The true spirit of the month
The past month of Ramadan symbolises the trial of faith, loyalty and forgiveness. It enlightens ours path with the spirit of righteousness and rectitude. This month also symbolises our will to give up some of our own bounties, in order to strengthen ties of humanity and help those who are in need. It helps us train ourselves to surrender ourselves to the will of Almighty for the sake of serving humanity. We recognise that all blessings come from God, and we should open our heart and share this joy with others. It is the month of sharing happiness, instating equality within the society, caring for fellow human beings, donating, feeding the poor and the needy. The spirit of the month goes far beyond common human perception. Forgiveness and self-cleansing is important and this will help us overcome the common grievances against our fellow human beings. It will help mutual coexistence, and will further uplift the very essence and spirit of forgiveness. In short, forgiveness brings us closer to God and will help us develop an invisible communication with our creator. It makes us feel stronger. The process is mutually interactive and essential for the development of all moral qualities, but especially for the development of tolerance, strength and happiness. Indeed, forgiveness and sharing is the essence of life and we should strive hard to create a better world with our donations. We should learn to make time for the sake of humanity and well-being of all. It was said by Prophet Mohammad [PBUH] then no mercy will be shown to those who show no mercy to others. No forgiveness will be given to those who cannot forgive others. We should live to the expectations of the spirit of Ramadan all year through.
From Mr Irfan Yousuf Khatri
Dubai
The loss of another
Celebrity Chef Anthony Bourdain was a storyteller (“Why cooks loved Anthony Bourdain”, Gulf News, June 11). He travelled the world and inspired millions of viewers and was the host of a popular television show. He committed suicide. His shows were amazing as he showcased unique street food, drinks and more. In the year 2016 Bourdian dined with President Barack Obama in Hanoi in a street restaurant while he was in office and it made headlines. He was a man of adventure, he made new friends, and had remarkable stories to tell.
From Mr Eappen Elias
Dubai
Risky business
In the present era, investors and individuals have become conscious about their investments, getting to know variety of options available in the finance market (“Gulf Capital plans over $500m investment to boost growth”, Gulf News, June 10). Whether you are a stock market analyst or a financial planner, advising funds to the client comes with great responsibility. As the saying goes, taking risk comes with great rewards. So are we implementing this with our savings and investment? A basic idea behind this is an individual preference. Some might prefer investing in relatively safe funds, which gives a fixed rate of interest. Taking into consideration a term called a ‘risk taking capacity’, investors are now switching their portfolio into funds which give an extraordinary outcome. Mutual funds are one such investment where we can expect a bigger corpus on the amount of money invested. Higher the potential returns in mutual funds, there will be a high amount of risk associated with it. We are often perplexed when jumping into a pool of investment funds and to decide as to what exactly can be the best option to suit our requirements. There is hardly any investment, which would not contain risk. But making an ‘investment strategy’ can prove to be a prudent decision in categorising the impacts. A conservative approach to this will be a no pain no gain situation where there is no risk taken. But to make the portfolio shine, investors are now balancing their funds into investing in multiple market funds by balancing the risk. Nevertheless the risk which pays off the interest will definitely boost our confidence, encouraging us to invest more. Lastly as risk takers the great rewards will come which is going to be worth every penny. You just have to stay patient and never quit no matter how tough it gets. So are we ready to take the risk?
From Ms Sanika Dixit
Dubai
No generalisations
India, with a population of 1.3 billion people, has its own share of child abuse cases but it is below the world’s average (“Readers Views: Child abuse rampant in India”, Gulf News June 10). The writer should have referred to any authentic studies by Unicef and other organisations alike. Nevertheless, the statement “India is slowly sliding towards collapse of humanity” is grossly incorrect and a result of ignorance. Unfortunately, it is a new normal in India to tarnish the national identity and image in order to gain a false progressive image.
From Mr Viswam Bharan
Abu Dhabi
King of hearts and votes
South Indian cinematic superstar Rajinikanth’s latest film ‘Kaala’, was released in the US recently (“Rajinikanth in numbers: What you should know”, Gulf News, June 5). The film is being released after Rajinikanth announced his newly formed party will contest the 2021 Tamil Nadu assembly elections, marking his official entry into politics. As a result, the release of Kaala received plenty of reactions from his fans, and those interested in his future political career. Reactions to the film itself have been mixed from the political parties. Overall, it has really clicked in India, particularly in Chennai. Bollywood stalwart Nana Patekar’s role in the movie was good. Over-advertising raises expectations and does not always yield positive results. But despite all the hurdles, the film is doing well. The setting and cinematography should be complimented. Will this film have an impact on Rajinikanth’s political entry? We have to wait and see.
From Mr K. Ragavan
Denver
Indian political games
It seems as if the Indian Congress party is dreaming of taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the General Elections in 2019 (“Karnataka polls: JD-S and Congress come together”, Gulf News, June 16). No doubt the Congress party has made a marginal increase in percentage of votes, but that doesn’t guarantee seats for them. In fact, though their percentage was high in the state of Karnataka State, their Chief Ministerial candidate failed in the Chamundeshwari constituency. Definitely, it was a real blow for Congress in Karnataka. Moreover, state elections are totally different to General Elections and hence, their ambition to lead the show may prove to be costly. It is time for them to play second fiddle to regional parties, who are on an high and are doing well.
From Mr N. Hariharan
India
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