CHENNAI : Plastic cups strewn all ove r, trash bins b r i m m i n g w i t h disposable plates and cups, leftover food and mountains of garbage — this is a common sight at any mass gathering. But in the last 10 days, when nearly 35,000 Bohra Muslims gathered in the city to watch the live relay of the Dawoodi Bohra religious convention — Ashara Mubaraka, held at Husaini Masjid, Colombo — not a single grain of food was wasted. There was minimal use of plastic throughout the event.
Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, the spiritual leader of the international Dawoodi Bohra community, along with thousands of devout Muslims from around the world gather every year for 10 days to mourn the death of Imam Hussain — the grandson of Prophet Mohammed who was martyred along with his family members and companions in Karbala. “We have a team that gathers data on the number of people and the time they would be arriving, and communicate the details with the kitchen team.
Food is prepared accordingly and is served on a thaal (a traditional large steel plate for eight). Attendees are urged to ask only for what they require,” said Abbas F Ragib, secretary, Anjuman E Mohammedi, Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat Trust. Since eight people eat food from the same plate, they ensure that there are no leftovers.
“The thaals are made of steel and the cups in which we serve food are environment-friendly. At times, we are forced to use plastic spoons when there is a shortage, but we ensure that there is minimal usage of plastic,” said Juzer N Haji, joint secretary, Anjuman E Mohammedi, Dawoodi Bohra Jamaat trust. Every night, milk and water were distributed to the passersby in paper cups and steel glasses. After the meal, committee members examined every thaal and consumed any leftovers.
Even the sufrah (a square piece of cloth placed under the thaal) was checked for any morsels left behind. Any extra food was packed in containers and placed near the exit of the communal hall for members to take away. More leftovers were dispatched to designated distribution areas for the homeless and needy. “This is something that anyone can follow. Also, by opting for use-and-throw vessels, we reduced water usage,” said Juzer.