Taste of a community on the thaal
CHENNAI: Far from a stereotypical buffet, the city’s Dawoodi Bohra community’s Iftar meal begins with a pinch of salt and creamy desserts. Spoonfuls of rich raisin-topped bread pudding, Shahi Tukda, is shared between eight members on one steel plate called a thaal. “Every Islamic tradition has a scientific explanation to it. Starting with a pinch of salt opens your taste buds and helps with digestion. Then we start with the desserts first. Acha karne se pehle meetha khaate hain na? (Don’t we eat sweets before doing something good?),” says Dr Nasifa Manaf, inside a dining hall at the peach-coloured Saifee Masjid complex on Moore Street. She adds that as they eat the sweet, they pray for their departed, and thank Allah for the meal.
Amid the chatter and sounds of children playing, mats are placed on the floor and a thaal is placed over a chumli (stand). After breaking their fast, the dishes are swiftly ferried from the central kitchen, located in a portion of the mosque. Along with plates of tender mutton chukka-like pieces and boiled egg garnished with coriander, and bowls of dates pickle with zesty lemon, gentle banter and easy conversation are on the menu too. People share the same food as they are equal in prayer and food. It’s a brotherhood, notes Dr Nafisa, adding they have a strict zero-waste policy. Excess food is sent to orphanages supported by the community.
Reminiscent of warm family dinners with countless second-helpings, a type of chapati called maanda is torn into smaller portions for each member and dipped in chicken curry with bursts of kasuri methi. While separate plates with spoons and forks were present, eating with hands is undeniably the most suitable method to savour the cuisine, including the healthy mutton kheema rice peppered with spring onions, best paired with the chicken gravy. The feast is washed down with a cup of comforting tomato soup, a piece of apple, and a glass of raspberry sharbat.
Rich heritage
During Ramadan, the city thrums with energy and moments of reflection. Mannady, home to a majority of the city’s 8,000 Dawoodi Bohra community residents, is no exception. According to Hasan Kapi, a member of the community and its PR team, the history of the Dawoodi Bohras is intricately linked to the deep-rooted tradition and heritage of the city. “Members of the community are said to have arrived in Madras as early as the 18th century. Most have settled in George Town and engage in business and trading hardware.” The Bohra community frequents two other mosques — Mohammedi Masjid at Angappa Naicken Street and Burhani Masjid at Mufaddal Park, Royapuram.
Constructed in the 18th century in George Town, Saifee Masjid has seen centuries’ worth of festivals, moments of peace and daily prayers. On Monday evening, by dusk, groups mill inside the mosque to break their fast. On the first floor of this masjid, women in pastel-coloured ridas — a distinctive two-piece Bohra burqa with decorative patterns and lace — are seated on mats. “These are the clothes that are specially designed within our community,” adds Dr Nafisa.
In the sea of serenity, the women listen keenly to the sermon, recited in the Lisan al-Dawat language, (a mix of Arabic, Gujarati, and Urdu), which lasts around 10-15 minutes. “Whether in Surat or Cairo, the practices of the community, like the architecture, which is an amalgamation of styles, are the same. After completing prayers, the community goes down to the dining room and shares a meal,” explains Farida Shabbir, from the PRO team.
Origin of community kitchens
Apart from Ramadan, the community kitchen runs through the year, where one meal a day is delivered to Bohra households across the city, by 8 am. Before dawn, over 40 staff fire up countless burners, chop up vegetables sourced weekly, and ready the meat stored in the freezer. “Our cuisine is not just biryani or kebabs, it’s healthy food. On social media, it’s all fried food but in our Bohra community, during special occasions and weddings, we enjoy the traditional dal chawal palida,” mentions Farida.
The concept of this central kitchen finds its origin 10 years ago when the community leader, the late Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin established the ‘Faizul Mawaid al Burhaniyah’ kitchen programme to provide food security to community members across the globe and also free up women from the daily hassle of cooking and instead, use their time productively to hone their skills. His son and successor Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin now guides the global community kitchens programme. “In our community, not every woman has to be in the kitchen. They get equal opportunity, and exposure and we are a 100 % literate community. Women are empowered in our community,” adds Farida.
Menus are prepared in advance, and care is taken to ensure meals are nutritious. Some of the traditional Bohra dishes include biryani, kari chawal, dal chawal, khichdi, patveliya (made of arbi leaves), and smoked samosas. With the fire of the kitchens running, nobody goes to bed hungry.