Ramadan in Delhi

It’s that time of year again: Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. It’s a time when Muslims give up their desires for food and drink during the 12 daylight hours - dawn to dusk - as they fast and pray as a community.

My neighbor says it’s also a time for Muslims to give up smoking and drinking, though they’re really not ever supposed to drink anyways. And apparently swearing, burping, flatulence and lying is forbidden as well. Personally, I’m glad there is a time these things are frowned upon.

Ramadan (or Ramzan as it is sometimes called here in India) is also a great time to get together with friends and share an Iftar meal (where the fast is broken at sunset) together. This usually starts with dates, progresses to fried pakora, chickpea curry, and fruit chat salad. And then comes the main dish of rice and daal and meat curries. This is not the time to lose weight.

Celebrating the meals together also gives us a chance to get to know people in the community more and more. And it lead to some good, honest discussions about God, fasting, and the traditions we all keep. These are good times to be in Delhi.

Category: india, food, islam, religion | Tags: