A Hindu woman’s journey of fasting in Ramazan

Fasting has been a practice in many cultures and religions for a long time. Now when people think of fasting, they often think of Islam and Muslims more than anything else.

Neelam Gokulsing, who isn’t Muslim and is from Mauritius, lives in Dubai, UAE. She started fasting during Ramadan in 2021 when she was in Malaysia, to support her Muslim friends.

“I have many Muslim friends in Malaysia, and we ate before dawn and after sunset together. It was about standing together and understanding their culture even though I’m Hindu,” said Neelam, who is 26-years-old and works at a fintech company. She moved to Dubai two years ago.

Even after moving to the Muslim-majority Gulf nation, Neelam kept fasting during Ramadan to be like the people around her. At first, it was about supporting others, but it turned into a journey of learning more about herself.

“Fasting isn’t just about not eating. It’s about connecting spiritually and learning new things about yourself. It’s like working together with yourself to discover your values,” she explained.

Following a fasting routine while managing daily life has taught Neelam a lot about herself.

Now, Neelam wants to learn Arabic to become even more a part of UAE’s culture and society. She’s excited about what the future holds.