Kashmir wakes up to sound of drums during Ramzan

Srinagar, Sep 26 (UNI) Mohammad Sharief goes around a downtown locality in the city in the middle of the night everyday beating the drum to wake up Muslims to have 'sehri (food before dawn)' for keeping fast during the holy month of Ramzan.

He does this as part of his ''religious duty'' and not for a hefty amount.

Sharief is among several hundred traditional drum-beaters, called 'Seharkhans' in Kashmir, who move around different parts of the Valley during the nights for the entire month of Ramzan to wake up Muslims for keeping fast.

They all start their ''duty'' at around 0300 hrs everyday moving around the localities beating the drums as loudly as they can and shouting 'wakht-e-sehar (it is time for sehar)'. The drum-beating goes on for almost two hours everyday till Ramzan is over.

The tradition began hundreds of years ago in Kashmir when there was no alarm clock or electronic gadget which would help a person to wake up from deep sleep.

The centuries-old tradition is still being followed in Kashmir despite modern alarm gadgets available in almost every home.

And at the end of the holy month, every household pays the drum-beaters a meagre amount. Some even give them rice, sugar and clothes. The drum-beaters are sometimes lucky enough to get 'Eidi (money given as gift on Eid)' or invited for the feast on Eid.

Sharief, a resident from Kalaroos in the frontier district of Kupwara, has come all the way from the border area to perform the role of a drum-beater in Safa Kadal locality of the downtown city.

He has been doing this for several years now. And what does he get in return.

''Some pay me Rs 10, some Rs 20 and some slightly more. Others give me rice or sugar or clothes depending on the financial status of the household. I am not doing this for monetary gains, but consider it my religious duty,'' says Sharief.

He says the modern electronic gadgets such as alarm clocks and mobile phones have not had any affect on their ''job''.

''We are here to stay....gadgets or no gadgets. We are the human alarm...perfect and always on time. An electronic alarm gadget can fail you anytime but not us,'' says a confident-looking Sharief.

UNI AG RP BD1437