“We are delighted with the return of the noise" Indian Muslims are reviving the nights of Ramadan after the decline of Corona

This year, Muslims in India celebrated the bustling atmosphere of Ramadan, after missing two years due to the restrictions of the Corona epidemic.

With the sound of firecrackers, thousands of Muslims gather every evening in the courtyard of the historic "Jami Mosque" in the Indian capital, Delhi, to eat breakfast during the holy month of Ramadan.

During the past two years, festive events during the month of Ramadan were absent in the old part of Delhi, due to the restrictions imposed by the Corona pandemic.

But life has returned to the area, according to the locals, and to the square of the Jameh Mosque, built of red sandstone, built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the seventeenth century.

The courtyard looks like a large dining hall, where thousands of people with a variety of delicacies are waiting in front of them for a sign to eat.

Citizen Javed Ahmed Khan says, "The place is full of activities now, this scene has been missing," referring to the scene of the mosque full of worshipers, according to his interview with Anadolu Agency.

Historians said that during the Mughal period that lasted until 1857, the cannon in the courtyard of the mosque was intended to announce the time of breaking the fast, and when the British took over the city it was replaced by cannons setting off firecrackers.

Muhammad Ansar al-Haq, a member of the mosque’s management committee, said, “Traditionally, a cannon was fired to indicate the time of breakfast, but now we use two loud sounds for firecrackers, and we also light the lights of mosques’ minarets to let people know that it is time for breakfast.” He added that this year prayers are held. Tarawih in the mosque in the presence of a large number of worshipers, after two years of interruption.

Celebrations returned in the vicinity of the mosque, and the Old Delhi market near the mosque was decorated with decorations, as it was buzzing with visitors all night long.

Muslims make up 13 percent of the city's population of 18.9 million, and are concentrated in Old Delhi around the famous Jameh Mosque.

Akram Qureshi, the owner of the famous “Al Jawaher Restaurant”, expressed his feelings, saying, “We are glad that the hustle and bustle is back this year,” as the markets were completely closed in 2020 due to the first wave of the epidemic.

"This time, due to the low number of cases and the administration's lifting of restrictions, people started visiting the market," Qureshi added.

During Ramadan, shops in the area, including restaurants serving the best non-vegetarian cuisine, remain open until early morning.

Known for its political hustle and bustle, New Delhi is well-known for its grand iftar banquets hosted by politicians of all walks, which served as a platform for the coming together and bonding of the various Indian communities.

Personalities like the President, Prime Minister and other dignitaries from across the political spectrum, used to host such festive feasts.

But since 2014, when the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took power, India's breakfast-table culture has receded.

Niaz Farooqi, Secretary of the Association of India Scholars, the largest Islamic religious social organization in India, explained that "the anti-Muslim environment in the country affected the Iftar tables, which were an opportunity to celebrate this important occasion," according to his statement to Anadolu Agency.

He added, "But bridges are currently being broken, and distances are created between communities, so we see fewer Iftar tables at all levels."

He stressed that the growing public discourse against Muslims is the reason for the disappearance of breakfast tables in general.