The festive days of Ramadan are back!
I remember my first Ramadan. As a seven-year-old, I didn`t know the significance of the month. As naïve as I was, during the school hours I would only think of the delicious food my mum would prepare back home and dream about eating it. That would make me happy. But as I grew older, I got more and more excited about fasting and my fetish for the food melted away. But I still enjoy the holy month of Ramadhan. Today when I see my little sister who is no more than 8 years old fasting and talking about what she wants to eat, I smugly recall my childhood.
These are the days when the televisions are shut and surprisingly nobody misses watching it. When angry or upset, no one snaps at the fellow brethren or curses his ill fate. Instead of humming movie songs, he chants the name of Allah. When he is approached for help, he helps without hesitation. Qur`an is read and worldly pleasures shunned. These are not the days to eat and make merry, but mothers want their children to eat tasty food after a long day.
Before the advent of technology, when the moon was sighted ladies would prepare a drink with milk adding sliced bananas and cuscus (poppy seeds), and go to every household sharing the drink and the good news. But now with the entry of gadgets, the news of the sighting of the moon is spread through emotionless text messages. Just picturizing the whole scene of bearing glad tidings in my mind makes me wonder how exciting those days must have been.
Rates in the market go sky-rocketing during this month because fruits and vegetables are bought more frequently. Vendors come door to door selling their crispy fried samosas and cutlets. Some of the common delicacies made at South Karnataka homes are chicken roll, chicken kebab, mutton chops, egg bonda, thooth vada, firni, raagi manni, cuscus juice. Fruit salad with ice-cream is one of the must-have items on the list.
Every community has a distinct culture. Thirty days of Ramadan is one of the features of the Muslim community. Islam not only stresses on submission and faith, but also highlights on celebration and enjoyment. However, it draws a line and does not let us cross our limits. Be it the young or old, it is mandatory on all of us to give a part of our wealth in charity to cleanse our greed for money. Hence it is up to each one of us to make the best use of this Holy Month.
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