Life, as we know it, has changed with the pandemic and this is becoming clearer every single day. As one comes to terms with the new reality, letting go of past rituals and practices can be extremely difficult.
Probably the first time ever, Ramzan is a quiet affair in Bengaluru this year. The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Ramzan is the period when Muslims fast from dawn to dusk, and offer special prayers at night.
This year the food streets of Mosque Road (Frazer Town), Shivajinagar, KR Market, Bannerghatta Road, and Kammanahalli remain empty.
People cannot be found crawling through the streets gorging on ‘haleem’, ‘kebabs’ and ‘firni’. The city’s mosques have not been reverberating with prayers. This has been tough for the devout.
“Usually during this time, many shops stay open throughout the night. For the first time ever, everything is shut. I can make my peace with all that; but with not being able to go to the masjid and offer my prayers, my heart is broken,” says a shop owner at Nanjappa Circle.
This sentiment is echoed by many. Shireen Noushad, a content writer, says her father and grandparents have been struggling with the closure of mosques. “They spend a lot of time in the mosque. My grandparents even stay over at night as they believe praying collectively and sharing such experiences with others amplifies the blessings. Missing out that has really taken a toll on them,” she explains. The lockdown has allowed many an opportunity to move away from distractions and truly reflect. However, this too comes with its own challenges. “The struggle is more mental than anything else. Every circumstance is begging us to stay at home, reflect, and look inside for answers rather than outside. It takes a powerful mental resolve to be able to come through this phase, the better for it,” says Meharunnisa Sahib, producer in an advertising agency, and resident of Fraser Town.
Others have managed to make peace with the situation and make the best of what is possible. Community is usually a large part of the festival, from grand iftar dinners with family and friends to evening prayers at the mosque.
For most, iftars have become a smaller affair, not just in terms of people they share the meal with, but also in terms of the spread that is put out.
“Although I’m not very religious, Ramzan is a time when all the family members across the city come together to celebrate. Everyone would bring a dish and congregate at a different house every day,” says Shireen.
She adds that fasting is even more difficult when staying at home. “Usually I have work, commute and multiple things to worry about. But time passes so slowly sitting at home that I catch myself thinking about food quite often. Snacking had also increased in lockdown, so adjusting to having nothing to eat till the evening has been a challenge,” she explains.
“One good thing is, all the junk food has disappeared off the table and has made room for home-cooked meals. Ramzan is not just about feasting after fasting, so in some ways, it has allowed us to focus on what is important,” shares Abubaker Sait, a resident of Fraser Town.
The lack of distraction from numerous stalls, the crowd it calls and the other pomp and show that comes with the season, can be seen as a blessing in disguise, he says.
“This Ramzan is unlike any other and of course there is a sense of deprivation from having to do away with many things,” says Sait. However, this lockdown, he says, has also brought forward the true essence of this time. “People are at home, focusing on God and their family. Prayers that are offered are between you and your God, and it doesn’t have to be a public spectacle.”
On the contrary, Natasha Laskar who is staying with her brother and cousin, finds that the lockdown and being away from their parents has made them lax with fasting. With only three people at home, the media professional says that making the right quantity and kind of food is a challenge.
“We are just learning to cook for ourselves and this combined with the lack of ingredients has made breaking fast difficult. Iftar dinner isn’t complete with just dal and rice. When you’ve been fasting for a whole day you need at least a few different dishes to keep you going,” she explains.
Sumama Haseeb, a chicken shop owner from Fraser Town, recognises this, “All the food stalls are shut, and while the atmosphere of celebration can’t be replaced, I thought I could do something about the food,” he says.
He and his family have started to sell ‘samosa’, ‘seekh kebab’, and ‘haleem’ from their home.
They get their ingredients from trusted shops and prepare everything in a hygienic manner. “We get orders for around 250 samosas a day. We deliver to some people nearby, others come and pick it up, but it’s mostly delivered through Dunzo,” he says.
When asked how the lockdown has affected his own celebrations, he says, “Most of Ramzan is usually spent in the mosques and they’re now shut because of the virus. And of course, food is not as grand as it usually is,” he says.
He and his family have been praying at home. He says online prayers are a good idea, but he hasn’t found any mosque doing it. Technology has helped them stay connected to extended family members through video calls.
Muslim scholars and community leaders have asked the faithful to pray at home. “We have been told not to go to the mosque. Our religion asks us to refrain from going to the mosque when you aren’t feeling well or when there is a possibility of you hurting someone else,” says Sait.
The ‘azaan’, the Islamic call for prayer, has also changed to reflect this. Instead of asking people to come to the mosque and pray, it now asks people to say their namaaz at home, he adds.
Zakat, one of the five pillars of Islam, calls for financial donations to be made to those in need during the holy month. However, giving to charities has become the mode of alms-giving that many have adopted over the past few years.
Meharunnisa, for example, has been supporting orphanages and schools in rural areas by transferring money to them during this time. “In today’s time, there is no dearth of people who are in need. Even if you step out to buy groceries you will find people who are struggling. Help anyone you can, in whatever way possible,” says Sait.
For a homely iftar fare
Sumama Haseeb has been selling home-made hygienic iftar fare at reasonable prices.
His menu has Seekh kebab (beef) at Rs 100 for three pieces, Samosa at Rs 10 (onion) and Rs 12 (beef) and Haleem at Rs 120 for 200g, Rs 240 for 500g and Rs 450 for 1kg.
To order contact 97424 02922