It’s all about history and light-hearted pranks on All Fools Day!

By: Amit Kumar Bhowmik

@the_news_21

Mumbai: We have all played pranks; or, have had some pull it on us – when we were young, on April 1, which is also known as ‘All Fools Day’. But, they have largely all been in good natured fun. Sometimes, however, these practical jokes can be dangerous; even cruel. In Mumbai, we had two flats. One, at Tardeo. The other, in Juhu, where we did not then have a telephone.

Our servant from the Tardeo apartment turned up in our Juhu house. He was pale and trembling. He said he had received a telephone call that my father-in-law had passed away. My wife and I were shocked. We were, in any event, booked on the early morning flight to Bangalore, where my in-laws lived, the next day, April 2, which was my father-in-law’s birthday. We wanted to give him a surprise.

Tentative and in silence, we took a cab from the airport to their house. I held my wife’s hand tightly all the way. We saw my father-in-law sipping his morning cup of tea; delighted to have us over! Later, I found out the identity of the guy who had played such a nasty hoax on us. He is still unable to fathom why we have so suddenly dropped him, like a hot potato, from our lives!

The origins of ‘All Fools Day’ is uncertain. Some see it as a celebration related to the turn of the seasons, while others believe it stems from the start of a new Calendar. Ancient cultures, including those of the Romans and Hindus, celebrated New Year’s Day on or around April 1. It closely follows the vernal equinox (March 20th or March 21st.)

In medieval times, much of Europe celebrated March 25, the’ Feast of Annunciation,’ as the beginning of the New year. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII ordered a new calendar (the Gregorian Calendar) to replace the old Julian Calendar. The new calendar called for New Year’s Day to be celebrated on January 1. That year, France accepted the reformed calendar and shifted New Year’s Day to January 1.

According to a popular explanation, many people either refused to accept the new date, or did not learn about it, and continued to celebrate New Year’s Day on April 1. Others began to make fun of these traditionalists, sending them on “fool’s errands” or trying to trick them into believing something false. Eventually, the practice spread throughout Europe… and with the invasion by the British, to India, which, especially the upper crust/ convent educated, have faithfully followed!

Notably, many different cultures have had days of foolishness around the start of April, give or take a couple of weeks. The Romans had a festival called ‘Hilla’ around March 25. The Hindu calendar has ‘Holi’ and the Jewish one has ‘Purim’. Perhaps, there is something about the time of year, with its turn from winter to spring, that lends itself to such light-hearted celebrations.

‘April Fools’ Day’ is observed throughout the Western world. Practices include sending someone on a “fool’s errand,” looking for things that don’t exist; playing pranks; and trying to get people to believe ridiculous things.

The French call April 1,’ Poisson d’Avril,’ or ‘April Fish.’ French children sometimes tape a picture of a fish on the back of their school-mates, crying ‘Poisson d’Avri’” when the trick is discovered.

According to a fable, the Duke of Lorraine and his wife were imprisoned at Nantes. They escaped on April 1, 1632 CE by disguising themselves as peasants and walking out through the front gate. Someone noticed them escaping and told the guards. But the guards believed the warning to be a “poisson d’Avril” (an April Fools’ Day joke) and laughed at it, thus, allowing the Duke and his wife to escape.

British folk-lore links ‘April Fools’ Day’ to the city of Gotham, the legendary town of fools located in Nottinghamshire. According to the myth, it was a tradition in the 13th century for any road that the King placed his foot upon to become public property. So, when the citizens of Gotham heard that King John planned to travel through their town, they refused him entry, not wishing to lose their main road.

When the King heard this, he sent soldiers to the township. But, when the soldiers arrived in Gotham, they found the town full of lunatics engaged in foolish activities such as drowning fish or attempting to cage birds in roofless fences. Their foolery was all an act, but the King fell for the ruse and declared the town too foolish to warrant punishment. Ever since then, according to legend, April Fools’ Day has commemorated their deception.

Islam, however, does not take ‘April Fool’s Day’ lightly. According to the dictionary, ‘April Fools Day’, is a date for practical jokes. But often those gags take the form of lies. Islam condemns lying. Hence, if lying is originally forbidden, then ‘April Fools’ would, consequently, be prohibited because of the unwarranted dismay and chagrin it causes, even if it is for just one hour. They contend that it plays with peoples’ trust and is a pure emulation of vice.

Prophet Mohammed, they assert, had warned against lying for the purpose of entertaining people. He had ordained: “Woe on anyone who speaks to entertain the people by lying” (Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi, and An-Nasa’i).

I have noted, with amusement and dismay, that fundamentalists everywhere, wear horse-blinkers and observe the world around them with narrow, jaundiced eyes. But, I for one, have continued to celebrate ‘April Fools Day’, every day of my life!

About the Author: Amit Kumar Bhowmik is a Pune-based lawyer. He can be contact at email – amitbhowmik1@gmail.com