In earlier times, people lit candles in high places as signals and beat drums or struck empty tin cans to wake those observing the fast for Sehri. Over the years, loudspeakers and sirens replaced traditional drumbeaters.
Today, in the modern era, social media has largely taken over this role, eliminating the need for drummers or sirens, as many people remain awake at night using digital platforms.
Here, I explain how this beautiful tradition is gradually coming to an end, changing continuously.
Candles lit on high places to signal approach of Sehri
The practice itself evolved over centuries. Historical accounts suggest that around 500 years ago, candles were lit on high places to signal the approach of Sehri.
Beating drums or striking empty tin cans
For almost a century, people in Muslim neighbourhoods depended on men who walked through the streets before dawn, beating drums or clanging empty tin cans to wake families for sehri during Razman.
The steady echoes of these sounds through the narrow lanes were once an inseparable part of the sacred month’s atmosphere.
Young men began tying tin canisters around their necks and striking them with sticks as they walked through neighbourhoods, calling out, “Wake up, fasting people, it’s time for Sehri’ For many, the role was both a spiritual service and a modest seasonal source of income.
In Punjab, particularly during the 1970s and 1980s, waking people for Sehri was considered almost a seasonal profession. Aslam, a traditional drummer who once carried on the role, recalls a strong family legacy tied to the practice.
“My grandfather and father both used to wake people every Razman,” he says. “We are three brothers. Two left this work, and now my son will not continue it either. I am the only one carrying forward the mission of my grandfather and father.”
Loudspeakers, sirens replaced drumbeaters
In subsequent decades, loudspeakers and sirens replaced traditional drumbeaters in many areas, further modernising the system. For years, these amplified calls became a familiar pre-dawn sound during Razman.
Tradition on brink of extinction
With the widespread use of smartphones and social media, many people now remain awake until Sehri. Some spend the late-night hours in prayer and worship, while others scroll through social platforms, watch videos, or chat online. As a result, the need for human wake-up calls has significantly declined.
