Eid Mubarak! The day of breaking of the fast has dawned upon us as the month long festival, Ramadan comes to an end. The aroma of kebabs, the complexity of biryani, the sweetness of sevaiyan, the camaraderie, and the adornments are at their zenith as #OurCity celebrates the holy festival, Eid-Ul-Fitr. Ramadan has Old Delhi spring to life and as the intense month of inward observation and restraint comes to an end, it will be more alive than ever. With the city bustling, we embarked on a journey with the ace photographer, Faizan Patel to capture Eid through his lens.
“Fasting from sunrise to sunset, refraining from food, drink, sexual intercourse, bad language, and bad behaviour, Ramadan meant purifying, getting closer to God, and growing of the knowledge and faith for me,” shares Patel. The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, it brings the community closer through fasting, “You feel more sympathetic to those less fortunate, motivating you to alleviate hunger amongst the poor,” he adds. Iftar (meal eaten after sunset) holds just as much significance in bringing together family, friends, and neighbours, “It gives a sense of belonging & community. Mass Iftar meals bring people together from diverse backgrounds and are organised worldwide,” he says. Camera in hand, lens on focus, Patel has been capturing snippets of the capital city celebrating Ramadan and is quick to share the mise en scène, “Restaurants are stocked with all types of delicacies! Nizamuddin and Zakir Nagar are bustling all night to feed the influx of people flocking the streets.”
Image: Faizan Patel Photography; Mass Iftar at Jama Masjid
Spending Ramadan in Delhi and Eid in his hometown, Mangalore, Patel is gleaming with exuberance to head home and relive the traditions followed every year, “I wake up at 5 am, pray the Fajr prayers (morning prayers), take a shower, and go for the Eid prayers in the Eidgah in Mangalore.” The ever-important 3 F’s & 1C come next, Family, Friends, Food, and Cricket, “Post prayers, I meet relatives & friends and enjoy sevaiyan and biryani before heading to the field for cricket.” The thought of sevaiyan leaves us dream-drooling and Patel is quick to add, “Visit a friend’s house on the day because nothing tastes better than homemade sevaiyan.” Talking about his hometown and Eid has him reminiscing about old memories, “I used to look forward to Eidi (money given by elders for keeping fasts) the most as a child; collecting anything from Rs.500-1000 would mean shopping the following day and usually all of it went into cricket gear.”
Galore with customs and rituals, Patel shares the festival isn’t replete without Zakat, “I love this tradition the most! Zakat is an Islamic tax wherein a muslim is liable to pay 2.5% of their savings/property/gold/silver/land/livestock to the needy.” Every tradition has a meaning behind it, from Miswak to Topi, prompting Patel to dig deeper into the foundations, “Topi or Taqiyah is a sign of humility and it shows deep reverence for God. Miswak on the other hand is a way of purifying the mouth, it has scientifically proven benefits like gum protection and prevention of plaque to name a few.”
Image: Faizan Patel Photography; Topi/Taqiyah sold in Old Delhi
Eid witnesses one of the most sumptuous suppers throughout the year and Patel shares some must-haves on the table, “No feast is complete without biryani, but chicken fry, mutton gravy, sevaiyan, and kheer also make their presence felt with large bowlfuls in my home.” When you add food to the mix, we’re sold and Patel knows this well, alluring us further with his ace recommendations, “Karim’s and Al Jawahar are all-time classics, but I love eating at Aslam’s Chicken, which is ahead of them in the same lane.” If the names weren’t enticing enough, he throws in enough details to make us want to skip our meetings and rush to Chandni Chowk pronto, “The butter chicken deg which can be shared by 4-5 people easily, rumali roti, and a bottle of thums up is my go-to here. To round up the celebration, we end on a sweet note with the famous Roohafza Lassi from Milk House further ahead in the lane.”
With mindful introspection & community-building being the key features of Ramadan, it’s fascinating to see how food is the inflection point. With Faizan’s topcat recommendations in mind and camera in hand, we’re spending our day in the lanes of Old Delhi. Laced with nostalgia and celebration, there is no better place to feel more alive.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this feature are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect those of DSSC & its affiliates.
Featured Image Courtesy: qatarpark.com
