Silent Wake-Up Calls: Tradition Resurfaces Amidst Loudspeaker Ban

Mohammad Suhail, clad in a kaftan and green 'saafa', roams Sambhal's alleys at 3 am to wake people for their 'sehri' meal during Ramzan. The practice reemerged after Uttar Pradesh banned loudspeakers in 2022, forcing muezzins to call for prayer without amplification.

In Sambhal city's shadowy streets, Mohammad Suhail appears at 3 am, dressed in a loosely draped kaftan and green 'saafa', drumming to awaken fellow Muslims for 'sehri'.

With the Uttar Pradesh government banning loudspeakers at religious sites in 2022, Suhail's traditional wake-up call serves as a vital alert to fasting observers.

As muezzins join him, calling out 'azaan' from rooftops, this return to manual sound-making marks a significant cultural adaptation in the region's Islamic practices.