7. A treat for the young ones.

The 14th day of Ramadan, is celebrated as Garangao in some parts of the Gulf. This is a fun tradition for children and a way to reward their efforts in fasting half way through the holy month. The name is derived from “Gara”, a Khaliji word for the sound of things knocking together. During Garangao, after the sunset prayer, children dress up in their traditional clothes, carry a decorated material bag, and walk around their neighborhoods singing the Garangao song, hitting stones together to create a rhythm. In the past they were given dates, rice and wheat, the ingredients used for a traditional Qatari dish called Harees, but nowadays children usually receive nuts and sweets.

In parts of Indonesia, Muslims immerse themselves in water believed to be holy or bathe in holy wells or springs to cleanse themselves spiritually and physically prior to the holy month. This ritual is known as ‘Padusan’. There is also a tradition of distributing food amongst elderly family members.

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