Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic lunar calendar, is in full swing. This year, Ramadan began on February 28th and is expected to last until March 29th, culminating in global celebrations of Eid.

The timing of Ramadan varies each year, though it is always the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is considered to be a time for spiritual reflection, charity, and good deeds. 

During this month, Muslims around the world fast during daylight hours, avoiding water and food. Instead, food is consumed at dawn (known as Sehrior Suhoor), and after sunset (known as Iftar).

The tradition of Musaharati, or communally waking people up for Suhoor, can be traced back to Bilal ibn Rabah. Bilal had an Ethiopian mother and Arab father and was widely known for his melodic voice. He was chosen by the Prophet Muhammad himself to be the first mu'azzin, or daily prayer caller, in history. This practice further translated to Ramadan; Bilal was the first known person to walk the streets before sunrise, urging Muslims to wake up to pray and eat for Suhoor with chants and a drum. The practice spread and was further popularized by the Abbasid Caliphate. 

However, the tradition of Musaharati is declining rapidly in Muslim communities globally due to the rise of technology such as smartphones and alarm clocks. Many young people are also choosing to stay up all night during Ramadan at elaborate food markets and social events, reducing the need to actually be woken up for Sehri. 

In South Asia, home to over 650 million Muslims, the Musaharati tradition evolved in special ways across localities with dense Muslim populations.

Karachi, Pakistan

In most major cities, Musaharati was very traditional with drum players and chanters. Karachi, however, was known for melodic flute players walking the streets to signal the beginning of Sehri. 

Many areas of Pakistan are finding the Musaharati tradition fading away. Due to modern day high-rise buildings and the increasing prevalence of chai-dhabbas, the need for traditional artists to wake up today’s Pakistani Muslims is fading. 

Old Delhi, India

Older parts of Delhi, home to many emperors from the former Mughal Empire, adopted Musaharati in the form of town criers, or munaadis, during Ramadan. 

Munaadis recite religions verses from the Quran in the streets of Delhi, wearing a kurta-pajama and beginning their days at 2:30am. Though many munaadis accept local delicacies and cash for their services, they find fulfillment without payment for sawab (or spiritual reward). 

Dhaka, Bangladesh

In Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, Qasida singers begin waking up rozedaars(Muslims who fast during Ramadan) at 2am.

The volunteers walk through alleys singing songs from the Qasida genre of Urdu poetry, known to be soulful songs dating back to the Mughal empire. 

Bhopal, India

The Indian city of Bhopal’s population is approximately 26% Muslim. 

The city developed their tradition 250 years ago, firing a cannon to signal both Sehri and Iftar. The canon began to deteriorate the walls of the fort in which it was shot, resulting in the canon ultimately being downsized in recent years.

The explosion is known to be heard in 50 neighboring villages.