KASHMIR MUSLIMS HOLD WORLD RECORD IFTAR

Srinagar, 27 Ramadan 1436/14 July 2015 (MINA) – Championing the largest Iftar ever recorded in Asian history, a Muslim group in Kashmir has invited people for a historical fast breaking meal in India-administered district, making a new world record.

“We never had this festival in Kashmir before, in fact we don’t really have this in India,” Ahmer Khan, 22-year-old Kashmiri Muslims, said, Onislam quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

Khan said the idea of Srinagar largest iftar meal was inspired by Egypt’s successful bid to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest iftar spread.

The Egyptian table, extended in the coast city of Alexandria, extended over 4.3 kilometres, and hosted 7,000 people who broke their fast together during the month of Ramadan.

Khan unveiled that the Kaskmiri bid was indeed inspired by Egypt’s record.

Khan admitted that putting this event together has been quite a struggle, especially when it came to convincing people that this was a non-profit venture. But they have been pretty successful.

Held on Saturday, around 7000 people gathered on the banks of the Dal Lake to break their fast together.

The organizers had spread carpets on the pedestrian mall along two-km-long stretch and laid out food items and drinks for the devout who came in large numbers to create a record for the largest single ‘Iftar’.

“The previous record for the single-largest ‘Iftar’ in the world was created in Sharjah where over 3,000 devout sat over a 1.3-km-long stretch to break their daylong fast,” said an official of local event management company ‘Loud Beetle’.

“Our ‘Iftar’ party was attended by over 7,000 people and it was spread over two km,” he said.

Khan said that the team has collectively managed to organise food and seating for approximately 3,300 people in three weeks.

“We’re serving some fruits, dates, juice and chicken tehri,” he said.

“Initially we wanted to serve biryani, but given the season, decided against it – it would cool down too fast.”(T/P004/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)