Eid in India: Chaand Raat, Sevaiyan and Eid Mubarak
By the Hindi Haveli team · October 28, 2026
On the morning of Eid, the lanes of Old Delhi, Hyderabad and Lucknow are full of people in new clothes, hugging and calling out greetings. Kitchens smell of cardamom and roasted vermicelli, children count the coins and notes they have been given, and neighbors of every faith drop by for something sweet. Eid is one of India's great celebrations, and it comes with some of the most beautiful words in Hindi and Urdu.
This guide explains the two Eids, how they are celebrated across India, what to say to friends, and the words you will hear.
Two Eids in one year
The word ईद (eed) means a festival or a celebration. Muslims celebrate two main Eids each year:
- Eid al-Fitr, often called Meethi Eid, "sweet Eid," in India. It marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. In India, it is often written ईद-उल-फ़ित्र (eed-ul-fitr).
- Eid al-Adha, called बकरीद (bakreed) in much of India. It remembers the Prophet Ibrahim's (Abraham's) devotion and his willingness to sacrifice, and it falls during the season of Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca.
Both follow the Islamic lunar calendar, which is about eleven days shorter than the Western calendar year. That means Eid moves earlier each year. In India, Eid al-Fitr in 2027 is expected around March 9 or 10, and Eid al-Adha around mid-May 2027. The exact day depends on the sighting of the new moon, so families wait for the official announcement the evening before.
Ramadan: the month before Eid al-Fitr
During Ramadan, called रमज़ान (ramzaan) in Hindi and Urdu, many Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. The fast is called रोज़ा (rozaa). Before dawn, families eat a meal called सहरी (saharee), and at sunset they break the fast together with इफ़्तार (iftaar), often starting with dates and water, followed by fruit, pakoras and refreshing drinks.
In many Indian cities, iftar is a community event. Streets near big mosques fill with food stalls in the evenings, and friends of all faiths are often invited to share an iftar meal.
Words of Ramadan
- रमज़ान (ramzaan): Ramadan, the month of fasting
- रोज़ा (rozaa): a day's fast
- सहरी (saharee): the meal before dawn
- इफ़्तार (iftaar): the meal that breaks the fast at sunset
- खजूर (khajoor): dates
Chaand Raat: the night of the moon
The night before Eid al-Fitr is called चाँद रात (chaand raat), "the night of the moon." Families step outside or wait for news that the thin new crescent moon has been seen. Once it is announced, the celebration begins. Markets stay open late, women and girls get henna, called मेहँदी (mehandee), on their hands, and shoppers buy bangles, new clothes and last-minute sweets.
The night before Eid
- चाँद (chaand): moon
- रात (raat): night
- मेहँदी (mehandee): henna
- चूड़ियाँ (chooRiyaan): bangles
Eid morning
On the day of Eid, families wake early, bathe and put on new or best clothes. Men and boys often wear a crisp kurta-pajama, and many women wear a salwar-kameez or a festive outfit. Families go to the mosque or a large open prayer ground, called an ईदगाह (eedgaah), for the special Eid prayer.
Before the prayer, families give a charity called zakat al-fitr, so that people in need can also celebrate. After the prayer, people embrace three times, a hug called गले मिलना (gale milnaa), "meeting at the neck," and wish each other ईद मुबारक (eed mubaarak), "blessed Eid."
Children receive gifts of money from elders, called ईदी (eedee). It is one of the best parts of the day for kids, and many grown-ups still remember exactly how much they got from each aunt and uncle.
Eid day words
- ईद मुबारक (eed mubaarak): Blessed Eid, Happy Eid
- ईदी (eedee): money or gifts given to children on Eid
- ईदगाह (eedgaah): an open ground for Eid prayers
- गले मिलना (gale milnaa): to embrace
- दावत (daavat): a feast
The food of Eid
Eid al-Fitr is "sweet Eid" for a reason. The star of the day is सेवइयाँ (sevaiyaan), fine vermicelli roasted in ghee and cooked with milk, sugar, cardamom and nuts. A richer version is sheer khurma, made with milk and dates. Every family has its own recipe, and a bowl is offered to every guest.
Lunch might include biryani, kebabs or korma in many families, and vegetarian friends are usually offered their own dishes too. For Eid al-Adha, meat from the sacrifice is traditionally shared in three parts: one for the family, one for relatives and friends, and one for people in need.
In the kitchen
- सेवइयाँ (sevaiyaan): sweet vermicelli
- इलायची (ilaaychee): cardamom
- मेवे (meve): dried fruits and nuts
- मीठी ईद (meethee eed): "sweet Eid," Eid al-Fitr
Hindi and Urdu: sharing words
You may notice that many Eid words sound a little different from the Sanskrit-based words in other festival guides. Words like मुबारक (mubaarak), blessed, and दावत (daavat), feast, come from Arabic and Persian and are part of the shared Hindustani language. Everyday spoken Hindi and Urdu are so close that speakers understand each other easily. The main difference is in script and in some formal vocabulary: Hindi is written in Devanagari, and Urdu in a Persian-Arabic script.
That shared vocabulary is everywhere in daily Hindi. If you say ज़िंदगी (zindagee), life, or दुनिया (duniyaa), world, you are already using words that came into Hindi through Persian.
How to greet friends on Eid
You do not need to be Muslim to share in the joy of Eid. In India, it is very common for friends and neighbors of every faith to visit, eat sevaiyan and exchange greetings. Here is what to say:
Greetings
- ईद मुबारक! (eed mubaarak!): Happy Eid!
- आपको ईद मुबारक हो (aapko eed mubaarak ho): May you have a blessed Eid
- ख़ैर मुबारक (khair mubaarak): Same to you (a warm reply to "Eid Mubarak")
- सेवइयाँ बहुत मज़ेदार हैं (sevaiyaan bahut mazedaar hain): The sevaiyan are delicious
Kindness tip: during Ramadan, if a friend is fasting, it is thoughtful to avoid eating in front of them when you can, or to ask whether they mind. Inviting them to break the fast with you at sunset is a lovely gesture.
Eid outside India
In the US, UK, Canada and the Gulf countries, South Asian Muslim families celebrate Eid with mosque prayers, big family lunches and evenings of visiting. Many schools now recognize Eid, and children often bring sevaiyan or sweets to share with classmates. It is a wonderful moment to explain ईदी and चाँद रात to curious friends.
Learn the story of Hindi and Urdu
If the Hindi and Urdu connection fascinates you, our free first Know Hindi chapter, Hindi in the World Today, is a great place to start. It shows where Hindi is spoken and how the language traveled. Later chapters tell the story of Hindi and Urdu as one family with two scripts.
ईद मुबारक, from all of us at Hindi Haveli.
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Hindi in the World Today is our free first Know Hindi chapter: where Hindi is spoken and how it traveled. Read the free chapter