 India
is a land of festivals and traditions. Festivals are a way of
life in India. Of late, the city streets of Shivajinagar
are crowded in the evenings. One can see a lot of women in colourful
'burkhas' crowding around bangles marts and clothes stores,
purchasing gift items and gearing up for 'Id-ul-Fitr'.
Many tiny tots are also seen troubling their mamas to buy them
a dress or a toy as they too are aware of the big day Ramzan-Id!
The holy month of Ramzan is very auspicious to Muslims
the world over. It is begins the day after the crescent moon
(Id ka Chand) for the 10th lunar month of the Islamic
calendar is sighted. Muslims are ordained to observe fast for
30 days (sometimes 29 days, owing to the early sighting
of the crescent), starting with the sighting of the new moon,
and end it after seeing the new moon the next month.
 The
fast is mandatory for all adult Muslim men and women, except
the insane, infirm, sick or traveling and pregnant or feeding
mothers. They can complete the prescribed number of fasting
days by choosing to fast on some other days. Those who cannot
fast accept great hardships and should arrange to feed at least
one needy person. Ramzan is considered holy because the Quran
was revealed to Prophet Muhammad during this month.
 Apart
from bringing Muslims face to face with the hard realities of
life like the hunger pangs, thirst and deprivation, Ramzan is
an annual training period inculcating discipline and declaration
of total commitment to the laws of God, enumerated in the holy
Quran. A Muslim is told to give 'Sadaqa' (charity) and
'Fitra' (alms given in Ramzan) to the poor before going
to say the Id prayers and recite the Quran intensively during
the holy month.
The last 10 days of Ramzan are the most important as
the faithful watch for 'Lailath-ul-Qadr' (the Night of
Power) during which the revelation of the Quran to the Prophet
was completed. In a way it is considered the climax of Ramzan
and Muslims keep awake all night praying or listening to sermons
by 'Ulema' or the high priest.
Ramzan is a month of brotherhood, renewal of relationships
and festivity and the rigor of fasting ends with the celebration
of Id.
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