July has been a month abuzz with activity for residents across communities, and a busy time for traders too. For the past few weeks, Chennaiites have been busy observing religious practices as part of Ramadan, Aadi and Karkidagam.
Mohammed Basheer, a trader from Monegar Chowltry Road, said that traders were quite happy with sales this season. “Since Ramadan is also on this year, the sale has been quite good. A lot of middle class customers are picking up clothes in the Rs. 1,000 range,” he said. Shahul Hameed, secretary, Ranganathan Street Merchants Association, also said sales were on the upswing and that they were waiting and watching how the months ahead would be.
It has been a good month for dry fish sellers. Vaazhai karuvaadu was sold at Rs. 140 – 150 a kilo, kumbli karuvaadu at Rs. 100 a kilo and kaaral karuvaadu at Rs. 80 a kilo.
“People who distribute ‘koozhu’ (gruel) as part of the Aadi celebrations also serve fried dry fish since it is easier to prepare. At homes, smaller varieties like sankra, nethili and kaarapodi are made into ‘kuzhambu’. Though the landing at Kasimedu fishing harbour has been only around 60 tonnes daily, the small varieties are sold off quickly,” said N. Ravi, a trader at Kasimedu.
The Iftar feasts too see quite a few non-vegetarian dishes being served.
G. Ahmed Sharif, who is in the leather business, said that Ramadan was a time when the community came together in prayers and serving the poorer sections.
“At mosques, food is provided after sunset. This is the month that the Quran descended and was put together as a book and we read the entire Quran in the 30 days. People make a lot of donations towards good causes,” he added.
Aadi festivities too have been on in full swing. Religious exponent Sudha Seshaiyan said that both Aadi and the Malayalam Karkidagam month mark the beginning of Dakshinayanam, when the sun traverses the constellation of cancer.
“People believe that diseases may spread with the change in season and to prevent this, spend time in prayers. It is also the season when sowing begins and so, people in the villages will not have time for weddings and nothing auspicious is taken up,” she explained.
For Keralites like Govindankutty Menon of K.K. Nagar, Karkidagam is also the Ramayana ‘maasam’, when elders in the family read the Ramayana before sunrise. “In temples, we have Bhagavathy ‘sevai’ every day and families have only vegetarian food. A Karkidaga ‘kanji’ is also made at home with herbs to keep the body healthy,” he explained.
