Hello guys! I am back with another content. In this blog, I am going to put light on the festivals of Pakistan. Primarily this is about Eid-al-Fitr...a festival of Muslims. How Muslims celebrate this great event? The rituals and customs relating this festival are discussed in this post. What are the special things about this event are also discussed? What people do at this event will be focused in detail below.
Festivals of Pakistan
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Pakistan is a world second largest Muslim country. It is known worldwide because it’s a powerful Muslim state. Pakistan’s majority is Muslim community. Here people spend their life according to the teachings of their religion Islam.
A number of festivals are celebrated in Pakistan. Muslims celebrate their festivals with zeal. Large arrangements are made in those occasional days. People celebrate their events on a large scale. These are the common festival of the Muslim community so each one of them celebrates. From younger to the older everyone take part in making these days special. Whole year Muslims are waiting for these days. A wave of excitement, happiness, and joy spread everywhere. These festivals are the symbols of happiness and sharing.
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Eid-ul-Fitr
"Eid al-Fitr is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting (sawm). The religious Eid is the first and only day in the month of Shawwal during which Muslims are not permitted to fast."
Source: wikipedia
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Eid-al-Fitr is one of the high priority festivals in Pakistan. It is celebrated at the end of Islamic month Ramadan. In Ramadan, Muslims keep fast for the whole month. And the end of this month Allah gifts them with this festival. This festival teaches them how to share happiness, not only with their family but also with others. A number of rituals are related to this Eid.
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Muslims celebrate this Eid generously and excitedly. They spend the whole month of Ramadan in the preparations of Eid. Ladies take a great part in making this Eid special. Everyone is waiting for Eid during the month of Ramadan.
Some of the rituals and things relating Eid are:
**Eid prayer**
Prayer can be defined for the Muslim community as:
"Five Pillars of the faith of Islam and an obligatory religious duty for every Muslim. It is a physical, mental, and spiritual act of worship that is observed five times every day at prescribed times. In this ritual, the worshiper starts standing, bows, prostrates themselves and concludes while sitting on the ground."
Source: wikipedia
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The day of Eid starts with offering Eid prayer. All the men, women and children offer Eid prayer collectively. This is very important on Eid. In this prayer, people thank Allah for providing them with this marvelous day. They thank Allah for all the blessings He showers on them during the last month. After offering this prayer people embrace and congratulate one another.
**Sweet dishes of Eid**
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Sweet dishes are the most important part of Eid. After the Eid prayer, the ladies of the home make sweet dishes for their family. They start their day with eating sweet dishes. A number of made on are sent to the friends and family. Some of their famous sweet dishes relating Eid are:
• Vermicelli
• Kheer
• Sheer khurma etc.
**Eid Clothes**
On Eid day, everyone puts on new clothes. The whole month people go to the market for having a beautiful dress. Children are too excited for that day, they also go to market. The girls spent their whole month in looking for an extraordinary dress. Markets are crowded with people in these days. In the evening, most of the families come out for shopping. All the shops are filled with peoples buying different things.
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**Sharing gifts with one another**
Exchanging gifts is a custom that Muslim follows at Eid. They exchange gifts with their family and friends. While going to one another house they take gifts with them. Most people take sweets and cake while going to someone's house. Return gifts are also given to the guest family.
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**Pocket money by elders**
"Eidi is defined as the pocket money given by elders of the family to all young ones on eid."
By: Kiran Abid
Eidi is the most awaited thing relating Eid. On the day of Eid, all the elders of the family give money to the children called eidi. Children wait for having a lot of money from their young ones. Parents, uncles, aunts, grandfather, grandmother etc. everyone gives them money.
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This Eid can never be imagined without eidi. Friends also send gifts to one another in the form of eidi. Eid cards are also sent to fellow ones.
**Helping the needy on Eid**
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One thing that Eid teaches is sharing and caring. In this Eid, all the well-off families help the needy by clothes, shoes, eatables or money. So, that the happiness of Eid would not only be limited to wealthy families. Eid is for all Muslims so, people assemble pleasure for the poor also. Poor families also enjoy this Eid with keenness. In this way, sharing, make this day special for poor families also.
**Mehndi**
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Mehndi is closely related to Eid-al-Fitr. Girls used to design their hands with mehndi at Eid. Mehndi is used a night before Eid. At night ladies gather at one place and design their hands. Mostly they went to the parlor for mehndi. Bangles are also carried out by ladies. Girls use to wear bangles similar to their dress. Full preparations of Eid are carried out a night before Eid.
**Eid Feast**
As it’s a special day for all the Muslims so they arrange a feast for their family. Dinners, lunch, and parties are planned for friends, family, colleagues, and relatives. This Eid is for meeting your loved ones whom you did not see for a long time.
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This event rejoins all the beloved to share the happiness of Eid. Relatives spend supreme time with one another during these gatherings. Teenagers go to parties also. Parties are also organized in school, college and universities.
This is what occurs mostly in Pakistan during this festival. Hopefully, i cover all the aspects regarding this. You guys would like to know about the rituals of this events. For further posts stay tuned. Thanks to all for reading this.
**Best Regards**
Kiran Abid
