Ramzan (Eid al-Fitr)

The festival of Ramzan is not a one day celebration. The eve of Ramzan marks the end of a month long dawn-to-dusk fasting (the month of Ramzan) by the Muslims that is marked with alot of excitement and rejoicing like the love of visiting relatives, neighbours, friends, the wearing of new clothes, gift giving, sharing sweets and special meals prepared for the day. During the holy month of Ramzan, they abstain from all worldly pleasures, hence the observance is primarily about being more pious and seeking spiritual closeness to God, self-control and discipline.

Ramzan is the ninth month in the Muslim Hijri calendar and is known as the holy month. Legend has it that the great spiritualist Mohammed was blessed by the Angel Gabriel through the divine knowledge of the Quran during this month. According to hadith, all of the Holy Scriptures were also sent down during Ramzan. Hence in order to pay tribute to the efforts of Prophet Mohammed, the month long fasting is observed.

Right from day one, Muslims wake up before sunrise, bathe and then eat something called “suhoor,” a pre-dawn meal which has foods like dates and milk to help them survive the day without food. During the day, they offer prayer five times, while at dusk, they break their fast with a large sumptuous feast known as “iftar”. It includes an array of different fruits, fries and other delicacies which are shared amongst the members of the family.

Despite the fact that Muslims are spread all over the country, places like the Jama Masjid in New Delhi, the Aishbagh Idgah in Lucknow, the Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad and a few mosques in Kerala are the main hubs to witness the true spirit of Ramzan. The festivities give you an opportunity to savor the local delights such as the sewai in New Delhi, the mouth-watering nihari qulche and kebabs at Lucknow, the Hyderabadi Haleem in Hyderabad and the nombu kanji in Kerala.