Devoid of people who throng it throughout business hours, at dawn, the empty Crawford Market streets are almost unrecognizable. Turning at a corner, I find myself in a scene straight out of what could be easily mistaken for the medieval period. Busy feet patter across the lane, huge cauldrons are being set up, water and other ingredients are splashed into these vessels as the bhatyaras continuously stir them, while trying to avoid the searing heat of the slow burning coal.
A strong smell wafts through the area on the 35th day of Muharram, as scores of people busy themselves preparing Khichra, a mashed mixture of pulses, wheat, spices and meat, garnished with fried onions and ginger.
Perched on a wooden plank, I watch the men run this fascinating open-air kitchen, some yelling for more water to be added to a particular vessel, others busy chopping meat and vegetables as the odd vehicle zooms by at this unearthly hour. in between screaming out orders and sipping his chai (tea) Imtihaazbhai, the president of a local body, tells me more about this surreal preparation
Held in honour of Prophet Imam Hussain, Muharram marks the anniversary of the prophet’s martyrdom. Devout Muslims observe fast and abstinence during the forty days of Muharram and Khichda is given out to all during this time. Imitihaazbhai informs me that over seventy-five daiks or caldrons of this dish will be prepared by noon and by evening around twenty thousand people will have been served. “Serving such hot food causes blisters on most volunteers’ hands, but it’s a cause in the name of Allah, and it’s all worth it,” he adds proudly.
Dawn is about to break and i am left with a small, but rather interesting story- the reason behind serving Khichda. It is a story most of us have heard in school, watched on television or read on several occasions; that of Noah’s
