An evening in Shivajinagar the week before Eid

At dusk, Shivajinagar bears a festive air during Ramadan, the holiest month of the Muslims. Believed to have been the month when God revealed the first verses of the Quran, Islam’s sacred text to the prophet Mohammed, Ramadan is all about spiritual disciple, with fasting or roza being one of the five pillars of the faith. 

At dusk, Shivajinagar bears a festive air during Ramadan, the holiest month of the Muslims. Believed to have been the month when God revealed the first verses of the Quran, Islam’s sacred text to the prophet Mohammed, Ramadan is all about spiritual disciple, with fasting or roza being one of the five pillars of the faith. 

With nearly half of its residents being Muslim, it is unsurprising that Shivajinagar is more crowded than usual at this time of the year, especially since Eid al-Fitre is only a week away. Ramadan shopping is in full flow as people carrying shopping bags filled with clothes, shoes and jewellery expertly navigate the potholes, reckless bikers and piles of garbage so ubiquitous to Bengaluru. 

White-capped men throng out of the Jumma Masjid in the OPH Road (Old Poor House Road), after their evening prayer while the streets come alive with lights and food. Visitors to the area line up to partake of grill-charred kebabs, freshly fried samosa and large servings of falooda, bursting with fruit and flavors while families begin breaking their fasts with fresh fruit, dates and a cool drink, a much-need relief in this scorching summer.