As the clock hits 2 am, 50-year-old Abdul Rashid Khan sets out on a four-kilometer march through the dimly lit alleys of Abi Guzar to give a wake-up call to the faithful for the pre-dawn meal ahead of the day long Ramadhan fast.
For last 35 years during Ramadhan, Khan who comes from Lolab in north Kashmir has been enthusiastically performing the role of a Sahar Khan in the city centre of the summer capital. Beating his drum and shouting aloud “waktay sahar” (time for pre-dawn meal) , Khan who also works as caretaker of the Abi Guzar mosque is popular among the locals who keenly await his call.
Khan recounted his early days as Sahar Khan when the area he would wake up was limited to Abi Guzar locality only.
“Back then I had a tin box which I used to beat with a stick to wake up the people. Not many had alarm clocks then. A large number of people used to rely on my wake-up call,” says Khan.
“Soon I extended my area and started visiting outside Abi Guzar. I also bought a drum from my hometown which made my task easier,” says Khan.
Khan who was a teenager then has come a long way in performing the task of a Sahar Khan. He says the city centre and the people living in the area have witnessed a lot of change over the years.
“I remember the days in 90s when despite presence of many bunkers I used to step out for giving the wake-up call. The security forces deployed at the Press Information Bureau building at Press Enclave had become familiar with me but while walking towards Lal Chowk I used to be subjected to many queries by the forces,” says Khan.
With a spring in his stride, Khan marches past across several areas in the city centre including Koker Bazar, Court Road and Press Colony. “I start my journey at 2 AM and return at 3:15 AM for eating the Sehri. After morning prayers, I usually sleep for 3-4 hours and then do cleaning up job of the local mosque,” says Khan.
Bashir Ahmad from Kupwara has also been a Sahar Khan for last several years at Habba Kadal. Bashir says even though arrival of various gadgets has proved to be a dampener for the traditional Sahar Khan, but his enthusiasm has not been affected.
“Yes, there used to be an all together different kind of a charm attached with this task. But now people do wake up for the Sehri meal even if we skip the task. But some people still hold a great regard for the selfless task that we do,” says Bashir.
Bashir says he has been performing the task of a Sahar Khan without keeping any hopes for material benefits but adds that locals voluntarily compensate him with cash or in kind at the end of the holy Ramadhan.
“I know technology will keep posing a challenge for us but we will also continue beating the drum and giving the wake-up call for the faithful,” says Bashir.