Mahfooz Alam/Patna

“India enjoys a unique image in the world as people of all religions and ideologies not only live here but also value and respect each other. They take pride in participating in each other’s festivals". This is what Dr. Kranti Chandan Jaykar, a well-known physician Of Patna who is popularly known as Dr. Kranti, told Awaz-the Voice about Ramzan.

Greeting his Muslim brethren, Dr. Kranti said that the holy month of Ramzan has come after a long and anxious wait. In this month, he says the Patna city looks its splendid best as it changes everybody’s routine. "People are more inclined to spirituality; they care for each other and think about leading a moderate and disciplined life. All this is too unique to be described; it can only be felt," he said.

Dr. Kranti said during Ramzan the innate nature of the Indians of valuing every person and every religion is manifested. "It’s the month when people fast in the day and pray during the night," he told Awaz-the Voice.

According to Dr. Kranti, as all religions give the message of peace and love and religion is the way to get closer to God, every person must appreciate the spirit of the holy month.

According to Dr. Krantichandan Jaykar, as a doctor, he needs to understand society, dharma, and cultures without which he and other doctors would not be able to eradicate the root of disease.

He said it was in his quest for understanding of people and communities that he came across Ramadan, Eid-ul-Fitr, and Eid-ul-Azha and he then tried to find their origins and deeper meanings.

"After researching, I found that as in our Hindu dharma, there is Upavas, so is Ramzan and it has a scientific aspect. Because if one eats less and lives his life in a disciplined way, he will surely get a lot  more than those living an ordinary life.”

Dr. Kranti says, “I researched about Ramzan and the result was very unique.” To experiment, he decided to observe roza (fasting).

Dr. Kranti Chandan Jaykar praying

"In 2017, I followed a month-long fasting regimen during Ramzan. This one month changed my life. My mind experienced joy and happiness and it's inexplicable. Similarly, fasting for a month impacted my health positively".

Dr. Kranti says that he was suffering from many diseases but after Ramzan fasting he recovered, “I also shed weight and got relief from various diseases.”

Dr. Kranti says that this experience made him respect Ramzan even more. “It is not because of the benefits I received by fasting during Ramzan, but also because I experienced many secrets peculiar to this month. These secrets can be experienced only by those who embrace the month with devotion and honesty.”

He says each year he welcomes Ramzan with devotion and reverence.

Dr. Kranti says these days he fasts every Friday of Ramzan. “Although I do not keep the fast for a whole month I observe it on Fridays during the month.

Dr. Kranti is also aware of the religious requirements of Ramzan, as he eloquently states that the month is designed to attain piety. “Those fasting should take special care to please the Lord. You stop eating and drinking for the whole day is a matter of discipline which is used in the rest of the months to do certain things.”

According to Dr. Kranti, abstinence from luxury and moderation in food and drink during this holy month brings a person closer to his God. He said that if someone eats too much, then that unnecessary food accumulates in his body in the form of fat and causes disease, obesity, allergy, infection, etc.

“Eating too much makes a person weak and sick,” he said. “The problem is that when everyone starts making the same mistake, then the mistake seems to be a trend and not a mistake".

Dr. Kranti says that the evil that has come into our medical science is that it should be a doctor's responsibility to explain the importance of food to the patients, but they don't do it. "I am saying with great confidence that we feel there are many ways in religion by which we can eradicate many ills of the human race. Ramzan is one of the greatest things that Allah has given us. So we must follow the requirements of this blessed month especially when the eighth month of the Islamic calendar comes, and the sighting of the moon on the last day of the month of Shaban marks the beginning of the month of Ramzan."

Dr. Kranti says that the month of Ramzan showers three bounties on its followers. The first bounty is of mercy, the second one is forgiveness of sins and the last one is for Mukti  (liberation) in which God forgives his servant for good."

Dr. Kranti Chandan Jaykar

Dr. Kranti says that the month of Ramzan is very beneficial for those who fighting diseases because of overeating and eating the wrong food. "They should fast during Ramzan."

 According to Dr. Kranti, if a person observes the rules and regulations of this month and follows them correctly, and acts on them, then the ill effects of eating too much and wrong food will be eradicated.

He says fasting purified mind and body making the observant feel lighter. Dr. Kranti says in his month, that people have to take care of their health along with piety. Islam asks people to eat less, but even during Ramzan, people tend to eat well. It's this reason that people don't get as many health benefits as they can".

According to Dr. Kranti, Islam asks its followers to "eat less", but this is not followed in practice. "If someone expends 1800 calories a day and is consuming 2800 calories. So 1000 calories are accumulating in his body every day. It will not benefit the person and harm instead. Overeating leads to obesity, Hypertension (Blood pressure), diabetes, heart attack, arthritis, asthma, and cancer. In today's time, a person should eat mindfully since most of the work is done by machines and he just has a sitting job.

It's said that one must eat food as one eats medicine, otherwise in the next phase of one's life, one would have to pop in more medicine than food. No matter how rich one is, a person must become poor at the dinner table, and the best religious way to become poor is through Ramzan. If someone follows Ramzan properly, he will not get any disease, this has been revealed in many researches.

He says not only during Ramzan but moderation is a tenet of Islam and arrogance is disliked by the Creator. “ I believe that one should consider the reasons for adopting piety in this month and try to avoid it in the coming months as well. The sense of the Lord of the universe will come to the mind only after the filth of pride and arrogance is settled on the soul.”

He says the day one realizes the futility of arrogance and ego, no human being will hate a fellow human. “Every religion teaches good things, people who follow these good things are called human beings. In all ages, there have been people who would fight with each other. They are the misguided people who are in Islam, Hinduism, and other religions. Society does not care for them. Those who know the religion know what the creator of this universe demands from them; they know that hey forbids the use of cuss words, bad behavior, and hate-mongering.”

According to Dr. Kranti, religion is a way to connect with the Creator. “Religion is human nature. Man is like a flower in this world. As flowers come in different colours and shapes and have a common end, humans too are headed to a common destination -God.

“Religion is a tool to improve our lives and surely one becomes a better person by practicing it. In the month of Ramzan, the atmosphere of brotherhood and peace prevailing in Patna city is a phenomenon to be experienced. During the day and at night, the fasting people remember the Creator of the Universe, seek forgiveness for their sins, and pray for peace and security.

Again, it’s due to the sanctity of Ramzan that people of all religions sit at the same table during the fast-breaking Iftar parties. This inclusive tradition guarantees a prosperous society and goodwill is generated. Everyone seems to benefit from the blessings of Ramzan.”

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Dr. Kranti says that the blessings, virtues, and prayers of this month are special, but the bounties of Ramzan in terms of health are unparalleled.