When the whole world is on a fast track, Ramadhan comes as a reminder of tradition and culture, the expression of which is pervasive among societies and cultures.
It comes as a great reminder of cultural and traditional values, as people love to return to their roots. They eat traditional food, wear traditional clothes and live traditionally as much as possible. Mainly they adopt minimalism and take a break from unwanted imposed modernism. This breaks their monotony, rejuvenates, and brings many other benefits that reflect their well-being.
Ramadhan is the time when every Muslim household has plenty of traditional food. The quality and taste of the food vary from one region to another, one country to another. And the reason behind having traditional food during Ramadhan is its purity, easily digestible ingredients and incorporation of food elements that keep an individual hydrated.
The holy month is the best time to experience typical Omani food in the Sultanate of Oman. Most traditional dishes are served during iftar. The most popular conventional foods are Sakhana (a thick sweet soup made of wheat, dates, molasses and milk and Fatta (a meat and vegetable dish mixed with Khubz rakhal — thin Omani bread made out of unleavened dough).
“Harees, Mishkak and Shuwa are the best delicacies. Harees dish is prepared with wheat mixed with meat, Mishkak is skewered meat grilled on charcoal and Shuwa is a typically Omani delicacy prepared only on special occasions. These three dishes are delicacies prepared respectively for the first, second and third day of Eid,” said Abdullah Khatiri admitting the value of Ramadhan when he gets to eat so many home-made traditional foods. “And eating them with family, friends and community doubles your enjoyment,” he admitted.
Omani Halwa — a sticky sweet gelatinous substance made from brown sugar, eggs, honey and spices — is one of the popular desserts of Oman. It can be flavoured with many different ingredients such as nuts, rosewater or even chocolate.
The same spirit is reflected in clothing. Every household must have new clothes for everyone on the occasion of Eid al Fitr, which falls after the completion of Ramadhan. Preparation begins in the middle of the Ramadhan and most people love to go for traditional attires. It is a busy time for tailors, while shops dealing in traditional items like frankincense, ‘bakhur, khanjar, ‘masar’ (Omani turban) have a brisk business. It is a reminder of tradition for both the buyers and sellers. No doubt about it that traditional ‘habta’ markets in interiors and regular traditional markets like Muttrah in Muscat and Hafa Souk in Salalah witness huge footfall all through Ramadhan, mainly in the evenings.
The Covid-19 pandemic has restricted community iftar; otherwise, it has always been an opportunity to witness traditional practices in gatherings where people meet and greet each other. “It is like the introduction of the old generation to new and new to the old generation and this is how traditions transfer from one generation to another,” said academician Faizul Haq.
Some tourists from Europe admitted that Ramadhan helps the Muslim community to keep its tradition and culture intact.
Some tourists even admitted that they were not prepared for the rare treat of culture and tradition they got during Ramadhan in Oman. “I thought Muslim countries were off-limits during Ramadhan when I started from my country. But it proved to be a misconception due to the fact that I could witness the culture and local tradition from close quarters,” said Kristina, a tourist from the Czech Republic.
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