Eid Celebrations in Indonesia and India Affected by Economic Struggles

Photo : AP

This year, the Eid holiday in Indonesia is not as joyful as before. People are finding it hard to buy food, clothes, and other things because prices have gone very high.

Before Eid, people usually spend more money to prepare for the festival. But this time, they are spending less than last year. One big reason is that fewer people are traveling, so less money is being used.

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Every year, many people in Indonesia go back to their hometowns to celebrate Eid. This is called "mudik." They return home to pray, eat, and meet their families. Trains, buses, and planes are always full, and people carry gifts for their loved ones.

But this year, fewer people traveled. The government said only 146 million people traveled for Eid. Last year, the number was 194 million. That is a big drop of 24%.

Because of this, less money is being spent during Eid. Experts say people will spend 137.97 trillion rupiah ($8.33 billion) this year. Last year, they spent 157.3 trillion rupiah. People are not buying much because they do not have enough money.

An expert, Bhima Yudistira, said people are facing problems because they are losing jobs, the value of money is going down, and companies are not making enough profit. That is why people are careful about spending money.

Many families are not celebrating like before. A mother named Endang Trisilowati said she had to cut down her Eid budget. Before, she used to cook many dishes and invite neighbors. But now, she can only make a small meal for her family.

The government still believes that Eid will help the economy. To encourage spending, officials have given discounts on airplane tickets, toll roads, and online shopping. They are also giving money and tax benefits to some people to help them spend more.

Meanwhile, in India, Muslims are also celebrating Eid with prayers, family meals, and gatherings. But many are unhappy because of some problems.

Some groups are angry about a new government plan to change the rules for Muslim-owned land. The government says it wants to stop corruption, but Muslim leaders say the plan is unfair.

Muslims are a minority in India, making up 14% of the country’s 1.4 billion people. Many say they are being treated unfairly by some groups.

To help poor Muslims, the government started a program called "Modi’s Gift." This program gives food and clothes to more than 3 million Muslims for Eid.

In Delhi, many Muslims gathered at Jama Masjid, one of the biggest mosques in India, to pray. Families came together early in the morning, hugged each other, and shared good wishes.