It is official. Ramzan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar in which Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, begins on Thursday.
From Haleem (a stew made of meat, wheat, lentils, etc) to beef, mutton and vegetarian samosas, and Attar (perfume) to dry fruits, the economics of this month of fasting and penance is more than apparent in parts of Bangalore.
Religious commitments (ritualistic practices) do not escape attention either. Although the overcast sky prevented Muslims from sighting the crescent moon, the believers rushed to mosques across the City as soon as the muezzins called them for maghrib (evening prayer).
The first Tarawih (extra congregational prayer performed at night during Ramzan) also drew the believers in large numbers.
The start of the month from Thursday was a foregone conclusion as crescent moon was not sighted anywhere in the country on Tuesday.
Ramzan timings
Iftaar (fast-breaking meal): 6.51 pm
Sehri (pre-dawn meal): 4.36 am (Friday)
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