new delhi daytime in ramzan the holy month of fasting is a time of prayer reflection and sobriety but when the sun sets there is feasting that is marked with gratitude and piety iftar the fastbreaking evening meal is almost like breakfast in the sense that it heralds a time of joyous leisure before another day of fasting starts anew after the sehri or the presunrise meal between iftar and sehri the people rejoice and that joy has returned to the historical quarter of delhi after two yearswhen the covid19 coronavirus made its global inroad in 2020 the nightly crowding on the lanes of old delhi at ramzan was prohibited to check the spread of the pandemic 2021 was muted because many restrictions were still to be lifted this year after people quietly broke bread at iftar and then kept to their homes for two years the walled city has sprung to life once again coruscating with lights echoing with the voices of thousands and redolent with the smell of ramzan specialitieswe are happy the buzz and celebrations are back smiled mohammad younus a resident of chitli kabar he remembered without much enthusiasm the closed markets of 2020 and the lackadaisical atmosphere of 2021 this time because of the fewer infection rate and the relaxation of restrictions people are out in strength like normal said younusthe ramzan food walks are also back after two years and foodies from across delhincr are joining the locals in the mazelike streets of the walled city to gorge on lipsmacking delicacies that are exclusive to this holy month during the holy month the shops and eateries are open till sehri time which is usually just before four in the morning said iqbal mohammed at lal kuanthe simmering kebabs chunks of meat in unctuous gravies saffron heaps of biryani and a variety of breads give a carnival feel to the night the fairy lights and streamers adding to the effect the summer heat which lingers into the dark after sunset can be easily countered with an array of beverages including the glass of pyaar mohabbat a sweet watermelon and milk drink at arshad maliks sharbatemohabbat outletbelieving that the night is young sameer rabbani and his close friends sit in a small room on the narrow sui walan lane and under the bright yellow glare of incandescent bulbs they while away the hours playing carrom our games go on for hours said rabbani with impish delight sometimes we get so engrossed in our contests that we forget we have to get home for the sehri if food can be forgotten surely ramzan 2022 shows the coronavirus no longer plagues the mind