Ramadan around the World

Pakistan

Sri Lanka

Turkey

Egypt

Rotaract Cairo Royal invites you to a journey around the world to observe Ramadan celebrations and traditions in different countries

Ramadan in Pakistan

Ramadan in Pakistan Ramadan day starts with Sehri, which includes yogurt, omelette with Paratha or Roti (wheat flatbread) with milk, tea or Lassi. Before Sehri, drummers make rounds in the city to wake people up. For Iftar, traditional food items are prepared like Pakoras, Samosas, Katchoris, Fruit Chaat , and Dehi Bhallas. People prefer to break their fast with dates and a sip of water and then eat the traditional dishes. Sometimes get-togethers are arranged at Iftar time. “Roza Kushai” means the very first fast that a child undertakes when old enough. It signals growing up and participating in an important act of religious devotion. It is a moment of pure excitement for the child.

“In Pakistan, friends and family gatherings are most important during Ramadan”

– Rotaract Club of Lahore

Ramadan in Pakistan A Project by Rotaract Club of Karachi Clifton: We visited an Orphanage and shared happiness with the kids, played games, distributed goody bags and shared an Iftar with the Kids. It was certainly an awesome moment for all of us.. We also got our Club's Installation done for the year 2013 - 2014 :)

“Ramadan is about Laughter and Sharing .”

– Rotaract Club of Karachi Clifton

Ramadan in Sri Lanka

Ramadan in Sri Lanka Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic country and Muslims represent about 9.5% of the total population. Sri Lankan Muslims fast for 30 days continuously and practice Ramadan traditions observed globally. They break fast by eating dates and drinking water in the evening at their homes with families. Some popular restaurants and hotels arrange special meals for their Muslim customers with complementary dishes such as porridge and dates. Applying “Mehendi” the day before Eid is a custom performed by most of the Muslim women.

“On the first day of Eid, men and women visit mosques and attend special prayers and festivities in new garments.They share Watalappan, a sweet dessert, with families, neighbors and friends.”

– Rotaract Club of Colombo DownTown

Ramadan in Sri Lanka Ramadan fasting, is eagerly awaited by all Muslims as a time for spiritual enhancement with a relaxed atmosphere in contrast to the routine life of the rest of the year. We conclude Ramadan with the Id’ul Fitr, on which we go to the mosque in the morning just after sunrise wearing new cloths, pray and listen to a sermon. Afterwards we give Salaams and hugs to all our village folks. The festival day in Sri Lanka is a day of family unions where extended families living in different areas come to their parental houses and celebrate the festival with a grand lunch. Undoubtedly the happiest on this day are the kids as they receive ‘Festival money’ as gifts from parents and relatives, which fill their heart with joy.

“Ramadan is a time for spiritual enhancement with a relaxed atmosphere in contrast to the routine life of the rest of the year.”

– Rotaract Club of Colombo North

Ramadan in Turkey

Ramadan in Turkey Ottoman traces of today's Turkey, the Ramadan cultures are still alive with the social and historical accumulation. In old times, the most prominent food at dinner was fried eggs. There were competitions at Topkapı Palace for the Sultan to choose the most delicious fried eggs. The chef that made the most delicious recipe was called “kilerbaşı”. Being “kilerbaşı” was a big honor. Nowadays, Ramadan dinners include: hot traditional pitas, olives, dates and bacons. A famous dessert of Ottoman culture is “güllaç”, which is served after the Ramadan dinners.

Ramadan Dinner At Turkiye

Rotaract Club of Dokuz Eylül

Ramadan in Turkey The Ramadan Feast is called the Sugar Feast (Şeker Bayramı) in Turkey, because people treat their guests to sweets and traditional desserts. Children may go door-to-door, kissing hands of the grown-ups, receiving sweets and small amounts of money in return. Turkish shadow plays, such as Karagöz and Hacivat, are popular during the Ramadan Feast, and children can watch these plays at fairs free of charge. In a more recent tradition, people use the holiday to travel abroad or go to Turkish resorts.

“Many people wake up early on the first day of the Ramadan Feast. They put on their best clothes, called bayramlik, and have a large breakfast, marking the end of the fasting period.”

– Rotaract Club of Bornova

Ramadan in Turkey Traditional dishes are served for fast-breaking Iftar, like“Gullac”, a type of sweet made from starch. Radio and TV channels make special Ramadan programs. “The Ramadan Feast” is a time for visiting one’s relatives, especially older ones and kissing their hands as a sign of respect. The feast is an official holiday during which businesses, and schools are closed. We - Bostanli Rotaract Club - wanted to share the photos from our Ramadan Dinner event where we invited our friends from other Rotaract clubs.

“Ramadan is the holiest month for Turkish people. It is a time of unity, solidarity, integration and charity.”

– Rotaract Club of Bostanli

Ramadan in Turkey The holy month of Ramadan stands for unity and solidarity for Muslims around the world. We - as Nilüfer Rotaract Club - support for events which are good opportunities for us to come together. Ramadan isn't only a time for fasting but also thoughtful reflection. Considering these principles, we were really in action for helping other people and getting together with the other Rotaract clubs in our city during this month.

“Ramadan KAREEM everyone :) With best wishes .”

– Rotaract Club of Nilüfer

Ramadan in Egypt

Ramadan in Egypt One of the main figures of Ramadan is a person who has the role of waking people up to have their Suhur, the meal that Muslims have before dawn. This is one of the religious customs in Egypt in this holy month. Mesaharaty walks through the night, making stops in every single street, beating his drum and repeating chants. In villages and small communities, Mesaharaty stands in front of each home and calls inhabitants by name until they wake up. Nowadays, Muslims are using alarm clocks for waking up and slowly the old tradition of the Mesaharaty is getting lost because of new technologies.

El-Mesaharaty

Rotaract Club of Alexandria Cosmopolitan

Ramadan in Egypt Ramadan is intended to teach the Muslim community virtues of patience and spirituality. The celebratory mood is set by decorating streets with lanterns made of tin and colored glass called Fanous Ramadan. Some say the tradition of the Fanous dates back to Pharaonic times, others think it started in the Fatimid era. One story suggests that women at the time were not allowed to leave their houses except during Ramadan, accompanied by young boys leading the way with copper lanterns. No matter how it originated, children in Egypt still play with their colorful Fawanees, singing songs in colloquial Egyptian Arabic like Wahawi-Ya-Wahawi.

Fanous Ramadan or the Ramadan Lantern

Rotaract Club of Cairo Royal

Ramadan in Egypt A project by Rotaract Club of Mansoura: One of our main projects in the holy month of Ramadan was “Mawaed al Rahman” where we distributed one hundred hot meals each day. Every meal consisted of the following components: chicken or meat, rice, vegetables, salad, bread, water and juice.

Mawaed al Rahman

Rotaract Club of Mansoura

Thank you! Rotaract Cairo Royal would like to thank the following clubs for participating in our first International Project of the year 2013-2014. This publication couldn’t have been complete without your valuable input. Rotaract Club of Lahore Rotaract Club of Karachi Clifton Rotaract Club of Colombo DownTown Rotaract Club of Colombo North Rotaract Club of Bornova Rotaract Club of Bostanli Rotaract Club of Dokuz Eylül Rotaract Club of Nilüfer Rotaract Club of Alexandria Cosmopolitan Rotaract Club of Mansoura