Be prepared to loosen your belt by an inch if you choose to walk down a street selling Ramazan delicacies. The aroma from the mutton kebabs and lamb chops travel straight up your nostrils and settle onto your hips and tummy. You can enjoy teh sensory experience of the sticky sweet jalebis and maddeningly fattening malpuas without even digging into them.
"What is the point of fasting all day, when you gorge at night?", you ask someone.
"Thinking of the evening meal helps us get through the day", they reply. "Besides many of these delicacies are available only during Ramazan.
_____
Yes, I would think the thought of a meal helps drastically. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the wonderful comment and I am returning it by saying; you are one lovely, sensitive, creative lady :D
Have a good day Rayna
Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow
I always enjoy your post where you share traditions. I have to ask what are sticky sweet jalebis and malpuas?
ReplyDeleteMason
Thoughts in Progress
YUM! The *reading* about mutton kebabs and lamb chops sets the readers' tummy rumbling... :d
ReplyDeletelol~ :D
I lived in Egypt for a year and have experienced the sensory delights about which you wrote. Yum!
ReplyDeleteRayna - How delicious!! Interesting metaphor, too. We think of the positive things in life, and that gets us through the bad times...
ReplyDeleteYou offer an interesting perspective. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice day, Boonie
I'd fast for the feast afterwards!
ReplyDeleteThe feast sounds wonderful. I'd be on the street checking out every food stall and food vendor, trying everything. So much for the diet...
ReplyDeletePatricia
I'd say this is worth fasting for!
ReplyDeleteA scared tradition that invites the
soul to partake! Yeah, I want to hear more~ Fun post!
While I couldn't eat the meat, if there's bread, I'm there!
ReplyDeleteBetween the picture and the drabble I've put on five pounds and I haven't even eaten yet.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what most of those things are, but your descriptions made my mouth water nonetheless! :-)
ReplyDeleteI wonder how Muslims living or visiting north of the Arctic circle do it when the Ramadan is in summer and the sun never goes down?
ReplyDeleteCold As Heaven
I love jalebi. They're orange and flavored like honey or something and look like... hmmm, not sure what they look up but they were my favorite.
ReplyDeleteCD
Such sweet delicacies must be made all the sweeter due to the fasting during the day.
ReplyDeleteThe Muslim colleagues had an office iftar last month, and since I couldn'T make it, they left some of the food they had brought in the fridge for me. I have to say, I have hardly ever eaten dishes this delicious. Spiced fried bananas, for example, from an African Muslim... yummie. (^v^)
ReplyDeleteThe world would get along much better if we'd just hang out and eat. I love this drabble.
ReplyDeleteMmmm, mouth is watering...
ReplyDelete@ Jules- most fasts in India (regardless of religion), are associated with typical spreads. Guess it is thought of food that keeps you going- specially if you are not the one doing the cooking.
ReplyDelete@ Mason- will take photographs for you someday, but they are both very sweet traditional Indian sweets. You need to eat them to know what they are like - can't really be described.
@ Leigh - and I am one who doesn't even eat them!
@ Kittie- they are fantastic, aren't they? I don't have red meat, but I still love the aroma.
@ Margot- I am so glad you got it, Margot. Though I knew you would.
@ Boonie- most welcome.
@ Alex- though I would rather just run a couple of miles and then feast.
@ Patricia- diet is something that can be put off till tomorrow. And even to someone like me who doesn't have red meat, it sounds wonderful
@ Ellie- every Indian festival is associated with traditional foods, and fasts are always followed by feasts
@ Diane- I can attest to the quality of the bread - out of the world. You don't need to add anything to it.
@ Mary- I had to loosen my belt by an inch. And I didn't eat either.
@ Shannon- to be honest, I don't know what half of them are either. But once I get the photographs identified, I will perhaps do another blog post.
@ Cold As Heaven- ouch!!! They would probably then just go by the sun setting over Mecca or something.
@ Clarissa- they are orange, and they are fried then dipped in sugar syrup. They scream calories, but I love them too.
@ Fiona - totally.
@ Diandra- my mouth is watering just thinking of it.
@ Not Hannah- it would, wouldn't it? Except, the iftar has got highjacked by politicians now- they hold iftar parties for their constituents during Ramzan!
@ Barbara- as it is meant to.