Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Apr 13: Amid the ongoing holy month of Ramadan in Kashmir, Sehar Khans, or traditional Ramadan drummers, continue their age-old tradition to wake up Muslims for their pre-dawn meals.
The centuries-old Kashmiri custom of rousing Muslims up for their pre-drawn meals is known as shar-khwani during the holy month of Ramadan. Despite the fact that many people use cell phones and digital clocks to wake up on time and that announcements are broadcast over loudspeakers to rouse people up for pre-dawn meals, the drummers practice is still observed in many areas of Kashmir.
Mohammad Yousuf, a Sehar Khan from the Saidpora area of Srinagar, has been doing this job for 26 years and believes it to be a month of blessings. “As a Muslim, I feel rewarded by Allah during this month, and it fills me with joy to do this good work,” he said.
For Yousuf, the job is not just about making a living but also about preserving culture and earning blessings from Allah. He even encourages his children to follow in his footsteps and asks them to do the same thing for themselves and their families.
Another Sehar Khan, who has been waking people for the past 12 years, also finds the job rewarding. “By waking up people for prayer, I earn blessings from Allah and also make enough money to sustain myself for two-three months,” he said.
The tradition of Sehar Khans beating drums to wake up Muslims for Sehri has been going on for centuries, and locals hope it will continue in the future. “They are preserving culture, which is the most important thing they can do. When we hear Seher Khan’s voice in the morning, we feel refreshed,” said Nissar Ahmad, a local.
Despite the challenges posed by modern technology, the Sehar Khans of Kashmir Valley continue to keep this tradition alive, bringing a sense of joy and spirituality to the people of the valley during the holy month of Ramadan. As Yousf put it, “It fills me with joy to do this good work.”
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