Mumbai: It’s past midnight. Guests, mostly clad in kurtapyjama, keep sauntering in and out of a plush, decorated reception hall in the rain-drenched Hill Road belt of Bandra. The aroma that wafts out of the place makes you turn and look again. No it’s not a wedding or a birthday bash. It’s a gathering for suhoor or sehri—the pre-dawn meal before the daylong fast during Ramzan.
Iftar parties are passe, even increasingly politicized. The suhoor or sehri get-togethers, on the other hand, are a popular trend with elite sections among Muslims. It has caught on in recent years with prominent names hosting lavish parties which begin around midnight and go on till the muezzin calls out the fajar (morning) namaz.
Ramzan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, when the devout across the world fast from dawn to dusk, is considered a time for prayer,reflection and contemplation. The light mealpartaken as suhoor orsehri is supposed to sustain arozedar throughout the day till the time of iftar when the fast is broken.But unlike the traditional repast, suhoor parties are studded with trays heaving under the weight of kebabs and rich korma. An assortment of desserts, from gulab jamun and phirni to halwas and fruit-flavoured ice creams, tempts guests further.
“Iftar parties are common but the time for iftar is short. Everyone has to quickly leave for namaz and later tarawih, a session in which the entire Quran is recited. So, many people prefer suhoor parties which go on till morning,” says Raju Sikander, a south Mumbai businessman.Suhoor parties are also popular because it is convenient for busy Mumbaikars to take time out after midnight. “It is cool at night and there is less traffic on the roads. Parking is easy. People can meet and greet over fabulous food,” says Parvez Lakhdawala who recently organised one such party in Bandra.
And while the more austere may choose to say morning prayers and begin the day early at work during the fast, a suhoor outing allows leisureseekers to find a balance between spiritual pursuits and recreation. “It’s convenient for those who want to socialise as they have plenty of time to eat and chat till the muezzin calls out for fajar (before sunrise) prayers. After the food and namaz, the wealthy go to bed and sleep till zohar (afternoon) namaz. Therefore it is becoming popular among the rich,” said Murtuza Ali, a member from Dawoodhi Bohra community.