Jam-e-Shirin – at the Iftari Table

Jam-e-Shirin – at the Iftari Table

The house heard the summons to Maghrib as the sun sank below the horizon.

The Iftar table was ready, with a delicious spread of samosas, pakoras, chana chaat, fruit chaat, shami kebab, and meethi pulkiyan!

But my eyes stayed glued to the glass jug full of deep red Jam-e-Shirin, glistening with ice cubes!

My Daadi prepared it just perfectly every Ramadan, not very sweet, not too watery, just perfect with love.

During Ramadan I always felt like the head Jam-e-Shirin chef “hehe,” who was always assigned the important chore of stirring in the ice cubes or sometimes tuk malanga.

That evening, driven by enthusiasm, I grabbed the jug a little too fast.

Excitement moistened my hands and lost their hold.

Time slowed as the jug slid, fell on the table, and a red wave of Jam-e-Shirin washed across the white tablecloth and slung onto the floor.

Suddenly everyone became silent!

One of my older sisters gasped!

“Ugh! You consistently cause a mess!” She snapped!

“You should be more careful, you clumsy girl!”

She reached for napkins. I felt humiliation burning on my face. Then Baba laughed.

“Looks like we have had a Jam-e-Shirin waterfall show at iftari time,” he joked!

Mama shook her head and grinned.

Daadi ruffled my hair and smiled. “Beta, it’s merely a drink. I’ll go make some more.”

She turned to call my sister and said!

“No need to scold; accidents happen.”

That iftari, we chuckled as we stirred a fresh batch of Jam-e-Shirin, the sweetest taste always blended with love, forgiveness, and family.

Happy Ramadan 2025, folks!