The earliest memories of Ramadan are from a punishing summer.
When the comfort of an air conditioned environment wasn’t there. Even coolers weren’t as available or affordable then. Where they were, the supplied power didn’t have enough voltage most of the time to make them of any use. Towels drenched in water were shields against the violence of summer, wrapped around the face and torso of bodies lying under a ceiling fan as lips would mumble a silent prayer.
Smack in the middle of a gruelling summer this year again. With air conditioners and coolers and power inverter backups, the challenge of the month hasn’t grown smaller. The baggage of deeds has been growing larger.
Reportedly, a section of the electricity department is on strike today for non-payment of wages. Power supply has been disrupted in some of the most densely populated parts of the city. This hasn’t made any difference to the markets. They remain the same as they look like every year at this time: a sea of burqas.
Ramadan Mubarak. Let’s make the most of this time.
Kanpur, 18.06.15