This Sehri ke Faqeer takes wake-up call to different level

Shalibanda: The traditional drummers who are known for giving a 'wake-up call' to rozadars during the month of Ramzan have gone high-tech with all the essential equipment. For making themselves work more efficient, they now drive moped which is fully equipped with sound system and also with an attached drum to its handle.

One such drummer, Shaikh Yousuf leaves his place by 2.30 am near Yousufain Dargah travels several kilometers and returns before dawn. Even though he does not have a cell phone of his own, his vehicle (TVS moped) keeps moving in the lanes and bylanes of the Muslim localities covering parts of Old City to Tolichowki.

While most of the drummers exhaust their energies by crying aloud, Yousuf has a headphone attached with a micro-phone to communicate loudly without the risk of damaging his vocal chords. "This has made my work easy and I travel longer distances now and serve more people," he says.

It has been a traditional practice irrespective of the technological advancements like alarm clocks and now smart phones there always remained a group of individuals catering to this particular purpose during the month of Ramzan.

Starting from early morning from 2.30 to 4 am, they cover almost all the areas while crying out 'Sehri Karo Utho, Ramzan ke roozedaro sehri karo utho' (wake up thy fasting devout) and different men have different styles of calling out and known generally as 'SehrikeFaqeer'.

According to some observers, these 'Sehri keFaqeer' are now slowly disappearing. They could be seen only in some parts of old city like Shalibanda, HussainiAlam, Kamatipura, Dhoodhbowli, Qazipura, Talabkatta, Karwan, Bahadurpura, Kishanbagh, Rein Bazar, Dabeerpura etc. Even in these areas hardly they cover one or two roads on foot.

"There was a time in every area these individuals covered almost all the lanes waking up through their melodious voice and while playing small drums for Sehri in the month of Ramzan, but in the recent years this Sehri keFaqeer seems to have disappeared. Now a days the newer generations does not have an idea what SehrikeFaqeer means," said Mohammed Mouzam, a resident of Shalibanda.

He also said that, some of those with lost vision (blind) and elderly continue to come along with a small kid escorting through the lanes and others volunteer to awake people at their will.

Muneer, a visually impaired gives call for Sehri for last 35 years by calling 'Sehrikaroutho, Ramzan ke roozedaro sehri karo utho' in a speaker. He said that he is encouraged by the appreciation he gets from the people during the holy month and hence continuing with this for over 3 decades. He also said that he will serve like this till his last breath. Since last two years, he his being helped by his son, Syed Tanveer, a student.

While explaining about the reasons behind the disappearing of SehrikeFaqeer in the city is, "In recent years there is change in trend, as many a people remain awake during the night hours.

While some of them remain supplicating and engaged in prayers, while some youth continue to remain awake till Sehri to ensure their they does not fall asleep at important hour of predawn meal and only sleep after attending Fajr prayers a wake up at afternoon prayers.

During the meantime some of them also engage in favourite past times like playing outdoor games, which boosts the metabolism," Mohammed Sikander, a resident of Saidabad. "If no one sleeps, what purpose does 'Sehri keFaqeer' serve", adds Sikander.