Ramazan holds a special place in the hearts of most Pakistanis and all Muslims around the world. The spirituality of Ramazan is what remains constant while each culture adds upon that their own colors and flair to the Holy Month.
Here are some of the most interesting traditions the Muslim world takes part in:
Thailand
Didn’t expect this to be the first country on the list, did you? Well the Muslims of Thailand all throng together to sight the moon. Its a huge community affair with all ages looking towards the sky to see the crescent moon.
Palestine
The announcement of the month of Ramazan is met with huge celebrations in Palestine. People use fire crackers to light up the streets and flock the markets for a happy time. It’s pretty much a huge party!
Egypt
Waking up for sehri is a universal problem. #RamazanProblems. The people of Egypt have the right idea to solve this menace. Drum beaters go around in every galli muhalla till everyone there doesn’t wake up. Some places in Pakistan also do it, btw.
Another tradition from, not only Egypt but the Arab World, is that of the Fanoos Ramadan (The Ramazan Lantern). These lanterns are hung outside every house and all major markets and decorated with them, making Ramazan a more glitzier affair.
Malaysia
Malaysians focus a lot of their Ramazan on two things: prayers and food. Their national sehri favorite is ‘Bubur Lambuk’, which is rice porridge. Communities come together to make this dish and then distribute it door to door. Their philosophy is that sehri should be non spicy and easy to digest.
Afghanistan
Across the border, to our North West, in Afghanistan, as soon as Ramazan is announced people rush to the bazaars to grab hold of traditional sweets and sehri essentials. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
United Arab Emirates
A longstanding tradition in the UAE is the firing of the canon. An empty shell is fired at all major landmarks in every city, signalling the end of the day’s fast. A lot of people gather to watch the canon being fired, but no matter how prepared you are for that moment you’ll always get a little jolted!
Turkey
Iftari in Turkey is extremely traditional and super light. They include pita bread, olives, dates and strips of meat, served with cheese. The Turkish believe heavily on eating little amounts of food over a span of time. Maybe we should try that that too, but then again samosas are too damn delicious to eat slowly.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lankans usually start their iftari light, with some fresh fruits and water. Slowly they then build up to the good stuff. A local Ramazan favorite is adik roti which looks like a pancake. It’s a big disc of puff pastry with curry inside served with condiments like coconut chutney.
Ramazan is an extremely colorful and vibrant time of the year. The desi mangoes of MangoBaaz wish you all a very happy Ramazan. Shareef ban jaye, aik maheenay ki baat hai.
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Cover Image via: Indian Express