The holy month of Ramzan provides discipline to both human body and mind. If one goes according to the customs throughout, it would herald a sense of spirituality over materialistic ambitions. Mind becomes purified and more contended.
The will to do away with the food itself is not of less importance. But of late, the benefits of fasting have been lost. Some people compensate the loss of food at daytime by eating a large quantity at night, thereby making the cholesterol level to shoot up. Eating more during night is not the purpose. This could be avoided. I have seen a lot of people having only fruits after breaking fast.
The purification process ushers spiritual thoughts and one would naturally think about the vast section that goes to sleep without a single meal.
The month triggers empathy towards the have-nots and a serious pondering over their plight. In my opinion, the young generation is keen to observe Ramzan.
As the month progresses, calmness of mind starts reflecting on the face too. Control over the senses is very vital. Over the years, the original ways of observing Ramzan has dwindled. This is very much visible in terms of the Ramzan dishes.
The homemade dishes have been substituted by ready-to-eat food items bought from the market. Several ethnic dishes, which were organic in nature, have disappeared from the menu. My appeal is to do away with the flamboyancy during the month and observe it with complete adherence to the customs.
(Akbar Kakkattil is a well-known writer)
(As told to Amiya Meethal)
