Ramadan in the 21st Century

London Central Mosque at Regent’s Park.

It was late in the evening as I drove past the Regents Park Mosque. The usually empty road was lined with rows of cars on either side and there was a steady flow of pedestrians walking towards the mosque. After a while it became quite hard to drive and I found myself slowing down to a snail's pace and had people zig zagging across the street in front of me all heading in the same direction. It took me a moment to realise why there was such a buzz of activity at such a late hour. It was of course time for 'Taraweeh' prayers and the crowds were all trying to make sure they got to the mosque on time. It was a rather wonderful sight watching everyone from all races and ethnicities walking side by side. There were men in shirts and trousers, kurta pyjamas and 'thobes' (ankle length flowing white robes worn in the Middle East) making their way for the prayers. It was a sign that Ramadan was well and truly here in London.
Come to think of it there weren't very many mosques around when I was growing up. According to a 2011 census, there are about 1500 registered mosques in the UK, compared to only 30 in 1971. Even the number of Muslims living in here has increased substantially from 226 thousand to 2.7 million in the last few decades.
All I have to do is think back to my childhood to realise just how much things have changed in the UK. Ramadan in London was a different thing altogether when I was growing up. Life went on as usual around us and it was only at home that we would experience the arrival of the holy month. Most of my friends had no idea what Ramadan was and even the grownups were unaware of the thirty day fasting period observed by their Muslim colleagues, friends and neighbours.
Iftar was usually a quiet affair with none of the food items we are used to in Bangladesh. At the time, it was extremely difficult to buy lentils for our typical 'daaler bora' (bite size snacks made with lentils and onions) unless you went to a specialist or deshi shop. However, these types of stores were exceedingly rare and even if you happen to stumble upon one the likelihood of finding products such as puffed rice (moori) would be pretty slim. In fact, I remember my mother preparing soup or a delicious Persian style broth called 'aabgosht' to break her fast with, before having dinner.
Even when I was married and living in Germany, Ramadan was a somewhat lonely experience, more so than London. I think I must have been the only person of South Asian origin living in the little town of Kronberg and most likely one of two Muslims residing in the area. My husband being the other one. As it was just the two of us fasting, 'sehri' was a bowl of cornflakes and our iftar consisted of tuna sandwiches and a cup of tea. After a day of fasting it really wasn't the most appetising meal. However, it was easy to prepare and a damn sight easier to get hold of than 'cholaboot (black chickpeas) and moori'!
Although the days are getting longer and the almost nineteen hours of fasting is becoming harder and harder, Ramadan is becoming a far less isolating experience for those of us living in London. I can now pop down to my local supermarket and find a whole shelf dedicated to different types of lentils which gives me the ability to make as many 'daaler bora' as I feel like as often as I want. And with three teenagers in my household, we are talking a substantial number of these moreish morsels being devoured in one go!
A trip further afield to the Asian store and nowadays you can get hold of anything you might conceivably need to prepare a deshi meal or iftar spread.  It not only has the usual rice, pulses, spices, pickles, nuts, etc. but it also stocks bags of 'moori' and tins of 'boot', 'chana' (chickpeas) and even a variety of 'haleem' mixes. If you were feeling particularly lazy and didn't feel like slaving over a hot stove to prepare your own haleem, you could just make your way to the restaurant adjacent to the Asian shop and pick up a container especially made for iftar. Admittedly not the best haleem in the world but haleem nonetheless and I am not about to start complaining.
I think the general public in the UK and especially in London are far more aware of cultural festivals and religious observances these days. Previously in schools, religious studies would comprise of only Christianity but the new curriculum contains, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism arming the children with the basic facts of other religions including the concept of fasting during Ramadan. Today if you tell someone you are fasting, there are very few raised eyebrows and most people you meet either are familiar with Ramadan or want to now know more about the reasoning behind it. To simplify things, I sometimes describe it as a detoxifying of the body and soul.
Even in the workplace people are far more accepting and understanding. These days, it isn't uncommon for my husband to receive emails from colleagues wishing him 'Ramadan Mubarak' or find himself the recipient of Eid greetings. To give you another example of how much people's attitudes have changed, even in the world of football the influx of Muslim players in the premiere league (such as Damba Ba from Chelsea, Ali Al Habsi from Wigan and Samir Nasri from Man City), the various clubs and teams have become far more accommodating and amenable to the players taking time to say their prayers and fast even during peak season.
Eid has also become a proper day of celebration starting with huge numbers of people congregating for Eid prayers held in the mosques dotted around the country. Near to the Regents Park Mosque (and other mosques within London), it is customary to see measures being taken by the councils to make the morning prayers easily accessible and safe especially as the numbers of worshippers appear to be growing every year. It is also a common sight to see Muslims hailing from all over the world out and about in their finest clothes greeting each other on the streets and generally enjoying themselves. A sight that I would not have been witness to as a child. Eid would have been a celebration with a few family friends. Fun but low key. Germany, however, was more like an 'all dressed up and nowhere to go' scenario but Eid is Eid and you just have to make the most of it!
It is a welcome change to be able to celebrate Eid with my own family, relatives and close friends making it the special day that it is. For me the festivities bring with it a house full of colour, laughter, food, merriment and joy. So let me take the opportunity to wish you the same. Eid Mubarak!