ON THE AIRWAVES — By Lakshmi Kothaneth — If going to a shop is called shopping then going to the souq could be souqing. This is what I was thinking as my friend and I took a break on the way to Muttrah souq, at a small coffee shop adjacent to the road. The coffee shop owner was engrossed in taking orders so much that he totally forgot to make our coffee after taking the order. When we reminded him from our car, he smiled and in two minutes, he was out with the coffees.
Just as we began to drink the coffee, we realised we did not stand a chance of heading to the souq. Cars had packed themselves in front of us, waiting patiently to find their spot to park anywhere near the souq or shops. We joined the line waiting to exhale when we reached the first exit to get back to Qurum. Imagine, we thought we were the early birds by leaving immediately after iftar.
The shopping malls in Qurum were busy as well. The women were so busy finding the right design to make the Eid days special. The mood was so infectious. I got involved with others shopping as well, exchanging ideas and helping them find the right accessories.
They say time flies when you do something you enjoy. When we realised how late it had become we rushed back home. So the next day it was time for souqing. Now here the shopping takes longer because there are so many things to attract your attention. No wonder so many people rush to Muttrah for gifts and special occasions.
There is something for everyone. The world of perfumery is great here. All the perfume oils made my head go for a spin, bringing back memories and creating new ones.
The shopkeeper kindly put forward the small container of coffee powder to inhale to neutralise our sense of smell to try out more fragrances. We had tried on so many perfumes that we were walking and actually spreading fragrance. Ah, that felt good. But we couldn't smell anything anymore.
As I went to the fruit shop near our house, the salesman said sadly, "Ramadhan is almost over, isn't it?"
It is true, I thought. I had seen this gentleman almost daily. Now he looked trim and at peace, except for the sadness in the eyes. I remembered what my friend told me about her mother-in-law. Her mother-in-law cries as she says good-bye to the month. It is a special month of self-discovery and togetherness with your loved ones.
I met many new people this month who seemed to be real special people and came across a lot of new thoughts and inspiration.
So, what is that we can take to the next and upcoming months. To practice all the good things we are applying during this month, I suppose.
The programme Body, Mind and Soul is definitely a programme I enjoy every year just like our listeners.
But this is what I want to take from the programme — a thought that was discussed by Shaikh Khalfan al Esry: "You come to this life as a unique individual. Nourish it." Do remember a few simple disciplines and practice them he had pointed out.
Keep away the negative emotions. Make sure we work for food for the soul, mind and emotions along with the food for the body. Let us think beyond our body. So while we look our best for Eid let us wear the best of thoughts and practices so our conscience glows. Eid Mubarak!
