Tabarruk: The ritual of giving and sharing

As the attendees leave the venue of majalis, the hosts distribute some food item or items as a token of blessing. Since the idea is of distributing food that is a source of barkat, people of all beliefs throng to partake in the blessings.” The tabarruk usually consists of food items like biryani, khamiri roti, kebab rolls, milk, fruit juices; bakery items like plain cakes, buns, rolls, samosas, patties and pastries, various breads, rice-based meals; sweet meats, fresh and dried fruit, and of course the famous trademark sheermal, haleem and khichra — there is no bar on the variety of tabarruk. The bulk orders have reduced for the time being but still we get orders in high numbers mainly for snack stuff like chicken and aloo samosa and packed noodles.” Zaheer Agha, who runs a kitchen and catering service in his name, says, “Definitely the business goes up as people are not allowed to invite more than 50 people to the majalis. I usually get to prepare meals of nihari, roti, sheermal kebab, biryaani or zafrani sheermal with kheer in the food packet as a meal for two or four.” Tabarruk can be in any form but preferably it should be food items, says Maulana Zaidi. Box Tabarruk or sacred offerings consists of typically easy-to-carry packets of food items that are distributed among thousands of azadaars or mourners of Hazrat Imam Hussain, as part of Muharram ritual, that continues for two months and 18 days.