Eid Celebration in Norwich & London

UEA Ramadan & Eid Celebration 2013

 

 

9th July 2013 signalled the start of the Holy month of Ramadan for people of with Muslim faith. On the first day itself, we could see a buzz across the campus and mainly in the UEA Islamic Centre. People gathered to wish each other a happy Ramadan month.

 

Ramadan is a period of 29/30 days where muslims fast without food or drinks from sunrise to sunset everyday. At UEA, the Islamic Society, run by the student union, provided endless facilities for students and staffs fasting during this period. For instance, food was being provided for dinner to break the fast at sunset and to do breakfast before sunrise evryday in  UEA Islamic Centre.

Food at UEA Islamic Centre to break the fast

 

 The good thing about Ramadan is the amount of cultural, traditional and religious beliefs you come across and discover from students or staffs of different worlwide background. For instance, the people from Saudi Arabia have milk and dates to break the fast while asian one eat a lot of salty snack.

 

I had the opportunity to visit a few Islamic centres across the UK during Ramadan 2013 (Warwick Islamic Centre, Baker Street Mosque & Turnpike Lane Mosque). These buildings were amazing huge buildings with their interior decroations, being at their finest.

The interior decor of the Baker's Street Mosque in Regents Park, London

 

After 29 days of fasting, Eid celebration was officially announced across the UK and to be celebrated on the 8th of August 2013. That was an awesome day where people meet their families and friends and gather together for a good lunch. It was a bright sunny day in Norwich and the Islamic Society organised the Eid celebration in open air outside in Earlham Park, in front of the Sports Park. That was epic.

Eid celebration in the Open Air in Earlham Park in UEA

I visited my friends down in London on Eid day. We cooked some really tasty food and the traditional mauritian "Biryani", with the Mauritian style and touch to it.

The Mauritian "Biryani" on Eid Day 2013

 

Ramadan and Eid 2013 was indeed a wonderful month. Interestingly it was my first one here even if I already  spent gour years of study at UEA. However that was one of my best Ramadan and Eid because I manage to make a whole lot of new friends, discover their culture and traditions and enjoy my student life.

 

*Eid Mubarak* to you all.

 

Hussein Wahedally

International Mauritian Ambassador