Traditionally,the fast is broken with dates and water. But that is changing with time.
Anis Ansari, a former bureaucrat and now the Vice-chancellor of the Uttar Pradesh Urdu, Arabic-Persian University in Lucknow, likes to wrap up work by 4 pm these days, so that he can be home in time for Iftar. It’s the holy month of Ramadan and Ansari is a Rozedar — one who fasts from dawn to dusk. The sun has not yet set and there is still some time to go before dinner starts. Ansari makes numerous short trips to the kitchen next to the dining room where three domestic helps are busy adding final touches to the dishes. Phone calls and guests cannot take his mind away from the food.
Finally, the time is little past 7 pm and the Ansari household is gathered around the dining table. Ansari hasn’t had a morsel or a drop of water since daybreak, and neither has his 10-year-old daughter, Naila, and his fashion designer wife, Asma Hussain. The fare on the table is simple yet varied: boiled chana, pakoras, potatoes, pizza, sandwiches and juice. The rule book says that the Rozedar can break the Roza, or fast, with dates and water. But those who can afford it opt for a sumptuous spread. People, in these modern times, are free to order food from outside. The Ansaris have preferred to cook everything at home tonight. Bismillah, and the feast begins. For the young and old, men and women, in the household, this is a moment of togetherness — families that eat together, live together.
The hunger pangs are not visible on the Rozedars; instead, their faces are radiant with piety and devotion. The Ansaris speak softly, as the nobility of Lucknow is supposed to do, and the conversation meanders along. Ansari explains, in great detail, citing verses from the Koran, the tenets of fasting, charity and purity of heart and body during the month of Ramadan. The home, located in the tony neighbourhood of Gomti Nagar of the city, has been decorated stylishly — the hand of the fashion designer is unmistakable in the décor.
The Roza has two important aspects: Sehri and Iftar. Sehri is had before daybreak. In some cities, till recently, some people would go around the houses and wake people up for Sehri. These days, alarm clocks on cellphones do the job. The Ansari household is up at 3 am to prepare for Sehri. Unlike Iftar, this is a simple affair — every Rozedar eats whatever he or she can manage in a short time. The food must be light on the tummy, but must provide energy for the hectic workday ahead. The Ansaris prefer bread, egg, milk and fruit. After Sehri, they say the first Namaz of the five prescribed for the day. “The fasting necessitates changes in the lifestyle of a devout Muslim,” says Ansari.
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The preparation for Iftar starts in the evening. Though people associate this meal with rich non-vegetarian food, the Ansaris prefer simple, home cooked and non-spicy food. This is practical — too much spice and fat can induce lethargy and make the Rozedar thirsty the next day. Some Rozedars do not even swallow saliva during the fast. When other guests, family and friends arrive, the Ansaris abandon the dining table and spread the meal on the floor. Many families still eat together out of the dastarkhwan.
Iftari, or the food prepared for Iftar, is also given to the nearby mosques for the Rozedars to break their fast. One of the aspects of the fast is zaqat or charity to the poor and needy. “The Koran says that zaqat during Ramadan should be 2.5 per cent of the value of assets that have lasted more than a year in a household,” Ansari says. This charity should be dispensed with before Eid is celebrated. Lucknow, to be sure, has an old tradition of charity. During the reign of Asaf-Ud-Daula (1775-1797), there was a great famine in Awadh. People were dying by the hundreds in the countryside, all economic activity had come to a standstill and public unrest was high. The Nawab then started public works at a large scale so that people could find work — almost 150 years before John Maynard Keynes came out with a similar proposal to come out of the Great Depression. To this day, people in Lucknow say: “Jisko na de Maula, usko de Asaf-Ud-Daula.” (Those ignored by God are taken care of by Asaf-Ud-Daula.)
This is also the time when people from all over Lucknow throng the older sections of the city till late at night in search of delicacies, especially Awadhi preparations, and the markets stay abuzz with activity. With Eid round the corner, some shops in the congested lanes and by-lanes in the Old City are open right through the night till it is time for Sehri, an old tradition of Lucknow that hasn’t faded one bit. Markets in areas like Akbari Gate, Nakhas, Chowk, Maulvi Ganj and Victoria Street have continued with the legacy and their outlets are full with customers till late at night. The aroma of delectable kebabs and biryani is unmistakable in these neighbourhoods. In addition to food, colourful caps, burqas, perfumery and ornaments are sold in these markets — the scene is straight out of a bygone era made famous in innumerable testimonials and novels. Unlike the Ansari home, the markets are chaotic and the emphasis is on non-vegetarian food: seekh kebab, shami kebab, kakori kebab and boti kebab. In addition, there are stalls where you can buy dessert like sewain (vermicelli) and phirni. Burqa-clad women make the most of the occasion, and can be seen feasting at the stalls.
A spectacular feature of these mid-night bazaars is that shopkeepers, whether Hindu or Muslim, generously donate a part of their earnings to the nearby mosques. Iftar is now hosted by members of other communities as well, political parties and organisations. These are not only attended by Rozedars but people from all communities.
