Fasting mess
Unlike GU and St Xavier’s boys hostels which do not provide pre-dawn meal to Muslim students fasting during Ramzan, IIMA and NID canteens start at 3.30 am and even offer special menu for sehri and iftar
The breaking of the fast takes place at sundown with water and dates. After the evening prayer, the students savour the iftar (post-dusk meal). While food is not an issue for Muslim day scholars, as many as 35 outstation students residing in Gujarat University hostels have to stock up snacks for suhur. This, because the mess does not make special arrangements for their food.
In sharp contrast to GU, which harps on maximising its global presence, premier institutes like Indian Institute of Management (IIMA) and National Institute of Design (NID) are more sensitive towards Muslim students. Their canteens open before daybreak to serve meals to the students observing the roza. They even have special menus for Ramzan.
GU hostelite Shahbaz Hamir (name changed) said, “Ramzan means a lot to devout Muslims. We are supposed have our meals before dawn and break the fast with the iftar. But since the canteen doesn’t open before daybreak, I can only have the evening meal. For suhur, I have dates and water. I have to remain hungry for the whole day and can barely concentrate on my studies. I miss my home.”
Chief warden of GU hostel Amrut Bharwad, said, “We have 35 Muslim students in the boys hostel. But we have not made any special arrangement for them as no one ever demanded it. The mess opens at the regular time in the morning. As far as I know, the students arrange for the breakfast on their own. They only have their dinner in the canteen with the other students.”
Even St. Xavier’s men’s hostel does not make any special arrangement for the fasting students . Three Indian Muslims and four from Afghanistan reside in the hostel.
Fr Ronald Sanctis SJ Hostel, Rector, Xavier’s Men’s Hostel, “We do not start our mess early because the students never demanded it. In fact, some of them go to their relatives’ place for iftar, spend the night there and come back only after the morning meal. The others arrange for breakfast on their own.”
At IIMA, 10 PGP students are observing the roza. The mess starts at 4 am specially to prepare sehri for these 10 students. Secretary of student’s mess Mohit Garg said, “The menu for sehri comprises seviyan kheer, fruits and chicken keema which is served with bread or pav.”
“These students also have dinner at 8 pm. We haven’t received any request for special menu by students observing the Shravan fast. But fruits are always available in the mess for these students too,” Garg added.
Mohamed Nizar Naushad, one of the students observing roza said, “The day begins at 4 am for us. The mess provides us our first meal which is a good mix of fruits, meat, sweets. We couldn’t have asked for more.”
He added, “When we have the time, we perform namaz together. Otherwise we offer prayers individually in our rooms. If we have classes in the evenings, around Iftar (breaking the fast), we take a small break. Ramzan fosters patience, spirituality and humility and takes precedence over all other day to day activities for us.”
Even the mess at National Institute of Design in Paldi starts at 3.30 am for the benefit of Muslim students. Around 20 students in NID are observing the roza. Apart from the routine menu, the mess also serves fruits and milk.
Yogesh Avasthi & Tanushree Bhatia
Posted On Saturday, August 06, 2011 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/2011080620110806024031973e49c76e7/Fasting-mess.html)
Muslims across the city, including college students, are observing the roza in this holy month of Ramzan. Considered to be a period of spiritual refinement and enlightenment, each fasting day begins with suhur or sehri (pre-dawn meal) and the morning prayer. Posted On Saturday, August 06, 2011 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/2/2011080620110806024031973e49c76e7/Fasting-mess.html)
The breaking of the fast takes place at sundown with water and dates. After the evening prayer, the students savour the iftar (post-dusk meal). While food is not an issue for Muslim day scholars, as many as 35 outstation students residing in Gujarat University hostels have to stock up snacks for suhur. This, because the mess does not make special arrangements for their food.
In sharp contrast to GU, which harps on maximising its global presence, premier institutes like Indian Institute of Management (IIMA) and National Institute of Design (NID) are more sensitive towards Muslim students. Their canteens open before daybreak to serve meals to the students observing the roza. They even have special menus for Ramzan.
GU hostelite Shahbaz Hamir (name changed) said, “Ramzan means a lot to devout Muslims. We are supposed have our meals before dawn and break the fast with the iftar. But since the canteen doesn’t open before daybreak, I can only have the evening meal. For suhur, I have dates and water. I have to remain hungry for the whole day and can barely concentrate on my studies. I miss my home.”
Chief warden of GU hostel Amrut Bharwad, said, “We have 35 Muslim students in the boys hostel. But we have not made any special arrangement for them as no one ever demanded it. The mess opens at the regular time in the morning. As far as I know, the students arrange for the breakfast on their own. They only have their dinner in the canteen with the other students.”
Even St. Xavier’s men’s hostel does not make any special arrangement for the fasting students . Three Indian Muslims and four from Afghanistan reside in the hostel.
Fr Ronald Sanctis SJ Hostel, Rector, Xavier’s Men’s Hostel, “We do not start our mess early because the students never demanded it. In fact, some of them go to their relatives’ place for iftar, spend the night there and come back only after the morning meal. The others arrange for breakfast on their own.”
At IIMA, 10 PGP students are observing the roza. The mess starts at 4 am specially to prepare sehri for these 10 students. Secretary of student’s mess Mohit Garg said, “The menu for sehri comprises seviyan kheer, fruits and chicken keema which is served with bread or pav.”
“These students also have dinner at 8 pm. We haven’t received any request for special menu by students observing the Shravan fast. But fruits are always available in the mess for these students too,” Garg added.
Mohamed Nizar Naushad, one of the students observing roza said, “The day begins at 4 am for us. The mess provides us our first meal which is a good mix of fruits, meat, sweets. We couldn’t have asked for more.”
He added, “When we have the time, we perform namaz together. Otherwise we offer prayers individually in our rooms. If we have classes in the evenings, around Iftar (breaking the fast), we take a small break. Ramzan fosters patience, spirituality and humility and takes precedence over all other day to day activities for us.”
Even the mess at National Institute of Design in Paldi starts at 3.30 am for the benefit of Muslim students. Around 20 students in NID are observing the roza. Apart from the routine menu, the mess also serves fruits and milk.
