[cocoland2]

This is not just pertinent to Ramadan. Every 2 days in the month , there is this Hindu thing of Ekadasi (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ekadashi). Each of these depending on the month have a presiding deity! The rules are simple , the day before should be a light meal , on Ekadasi dawn to next day dawn (about 36 hours in all) fasting. On Dwadasi , break this fast by first having water , meditation and then a light meal (usually milk+milk products) and community feeding if possible . Other rules include not sleeping during day and so on. My parents do it still , very few follow this regimen though these days.

I think very similar eating/fasting habits are pertinent during the lent as well.

When i was younger , during Ramadan we used to go to break the fast post dusk. In my homestate in India , there is usually a gruel that is prepared with sooji (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombay_rava) and lot of fruits. As a veggie , i would go there and eat :) . Sadly it has become a hog show now ,eating as much during dawn and dusk to keep the day full

[skohan]

When I was in Nepal I talked to a guy who said he was not eating that day "to balance the body". The way he spoke about it made it seem like it must be a normal practice there which everyone understood and was aware of.