Neelam: Meet Hindu girl who fasts every Ramadan

Usually, Muslims around the word religiously fast during Ramadan, however, in search of self-discovery and to show solidarity to Muslim friends, Neelam Gokulsing started the same practice for a couple of years.

Neelam lives in Dubai and has been fasting since 2021. She used to attend suhoor with her Muslim friends and also do iftar together.

“For me, it was all about solidarity and understanding that part of their culture although I am a Hindu,” Neelam told Khaleej Times.

The 26-year-old, who works at a Fintech company, used to live in Malaysia – the place where she first started fasting with Muslims.

“I continued fasting here as everyone around me mostly would fast during the holy month.”

According to Neelam, it helps her understand how difficult a task is to go without food and water when you need to work.

“I wake up for suhoor and eat something in the morning to keep me going throughout the day, with whatever is available in the fridge. But iftar is very special. I look forward to the meals with my colleagues at the end of the day. The meals typically consist of dates, juices, fruits, vegetables, and meats that are ordered in, or we go out somewhere.”

It’s a usual practice for Muslims to fast 29 or 30 straight days, but for a non-Muslim it requires determination.

“Initially, during the first few weeks, the focus is on acclimating your body to the process, which involves a considerable amount of cleansing.”

According to her fasting after an entire year can be challenging for anyone.

“There may be moments of slight dizziness in the initial days, but this tends to improve over time. Ultimately, it’s the habit and determination to follow through, that makes a significant difference,” she added.

Moreover, Neelam is aiming to learn Arabic for better communication with her Muslim friends.