The call of the call

It started with our first night we spent in Dhaka. We were able to beat the jet lag and fall soundly asleep. Then around 5.30 it hit us. 

The early morning call to prayer - a sort of Islamic vocal wake-up call to the nation - is really something to hear and we now well understand its power. It starts with a single call and then waves of sound emerge from everywhere in the city, melodious and harmonious though not in unison, increasing in intensity and power as every muezzin in the city sings his call to the faithful. It is not like you hear the loudspeakers from just a few mosques. It feels like  from thousands of buildings, a local singer alerts the Muslims of the city to their duty. Waves of sound roll across the city like surf.

Now being located close to the central mosque in Baridhara means we are in direct 'firing' line for all the call to prayers - yes there are more than one and depending on which mosque it could range from four to seven.

Thankfully the call is short and now after we got used to it and can go back to sleep. Because shortly after it is finished, the crows take over. The most prominent sound in the day from our windows is that of crows, hundreds of them.