EID-UL-FITR FEEDING | COOKING 2026 | 20th March | CALLIES RUGBY FIELD | NOLL AVENUE | RYLANDS ESTATE
Ramadaan is about caring and sharing and that is exactly what Nakhlistan stands for.
Nakhlistan pioneered the cooking of huge pots of food on a wood fire and is so pleased to see how other organizations are following suit.
In 1984, Shukoor Mowzer and 2 friends realized that in the Athlone area where they were living, some of their community members did not have food for Eid Celebrations and this is how Nakhlistan was born. 2 pots of food were cooked with donations from family and friends. Four years ago Shukoor Mowzer passed on, however, his legacy continues through Nakhlistan!
Nakhlistan is Muslim based and caters for all the needy in the Western Cape, no matter which religious or cultural background.
Today, 43 years later, Nakhlistan will cook 185 x 130lt pots of Aknie to feed 95 000 of the less fortunate in the Western Cape, on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr. That is why the name Nakhlistan was chosen.
Nakhlistan is a Persian word which means ‘oasis and sustenance’.
Muslims are obliged to pay alms to the needy and during the month of Ramadaan, when Muslim’s Fast from before sunrise to after sunset, Nakhlistan is that vehicle to distribute these alms via Sponsored Food Parcels and cooking big pots of Aknie, an aromatic meat, potatoes and rice dish.
Hundreds of people come to witness this cooking phenomenon, the night before Eid-ul-Fitr. This year we will cook on Friday 20th March and all activities at the Callies Rugby Field in Noll Avenue, Rylands Estate, shifts into gear because Eid-ul-Fitr is the next day.
The ingredients include: 4 tons of meat, 3 tons of rice, 3 tons of potatoes, 2 tons of onions, various spices and 70 000 pieces of wood, as we cook on wood fires. 200 volunteers assist with the cooking of the food.
The smell of the burning wood, the steam and aroma from the huge pots, are a sight to behold. Join Nakhlistan when we do a FBLive broadcast when we start to cook.
Nakhlistan Ramadaan and Eid Cooking distribution areas include: Atlantis, Danoon Mosque, Khayelitsha, Hanover Park, Newfields, Bonteheuwel, Manenberg, Valhalla Park, Kensington, Factreton, Garden Village, Kriefgat, Sherwood Park, Macassar, Ocean View, Vrygrond, St. Montague Village Cafda, Masiphumelela, Lavender Hill, Sea Winds, Hill View, Blackheath, Sarepta, Blue Downs, Belhar, Delft, Blikkiesdorp, Mandalay, Hout Bay, Clarkes Estate, Elsies Rivier, Ruyterwacht, Old Age Homes in WC, Kewtown, Athlone, Mowbray, Uitsig, Chatsworth in Malmesbury, Bishop Lavis West, Phillipi, Heideveld, Capricorn, Crossroads, Langa, Gugulethu, Nyanga, Caledon, Grabouw, Touwsrivier, Pollsmoor and Goodwood Correctional. We also provided Boland Prisons with dry ingredients for Eid food.
Nakhlistan says Shukran, Thank You, Tramakassie, Dankie and Nkosi to our loyal community, donors, sponsors, businesses and volunteers for their constant support over the past 43 years.
Nakhlistan is operational throughout the year. Continue to support generously.
