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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - As Kurds along with the worldwide Muslim community celebrate Eid al-Adha on Wednesday, the shops in Erbil’s downtown bazaar are not hustling and bustling like they previously did, mostly due to a dire financial situation and the scorching heat.
Shopkeepers said that the lack of customers is attributed to limited and unstable financial conditions of the public as well as the summer heat.
While supply is high, the demand for purchasing premium clothes is low as people tend to buy the items they afford.
“We have spent a significant amount of money to buy clothing, but we never expected this little demand,” shop owner Waleed Khalid told Rudaw’s Bakhtiyar Qadir.
Karwan Rasul, a customer, said that his limited financial resources made him opt for cheaper clothing.
“I do not have a job, I do not have money on me, therefore I am forced to buy cheaper clothing,” Rasul said.
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Many Muslims, including Kurds, on Wednesday marked the first day of the Eid al-Adha holiday with early morning prayers and feasts. The holiday lasts for four days.
After the Eid feast, family, friends, and neighbors visit each other's homes. Men, women, and children dress in brand-new outfits specifically bought for the special holiday.
Guests are often met with hot tea and special sweets called kulicha, which is especially made for Eid. Kulicha is a sweetened pastry stuffed or covered with dates or walnuts with sugar and spices such as cinnamon added for flavor.
Adults also give children Jazhnana, a gift of money, and have candy or chocolate available for those who visit their homes with their parents.
In addition to the festivities of coming together to celebrate the first day of Eid, it is also customary for Muslims to visit cemeteries to pay their respects to loved ones they have lost.
Shopkeepers said that the lack of customers is attributed to limited and unstable financial conditions of the public as well as the summer heat.
While supply is high, the demand for purchasing premium clothes is low as people tend to buy the items they afford.
“We have spent a significant amount of money to buy clothing, but we never expected this little demand,” shop owner Waleed Khalid told Rudaw’s Bakhtiyar Qadir.
Karwan Rasul, a customer, said that his limited financial resources made him opt for cheaper clothing.
“I do not have a job, I do not have money on me, therefore I am forced to buy cheaper clothing,” Rasul said.
.
Many Muslims, including Kurds, on Wednesday marked the first day of the Eid al-Adha holiday with early morning prayers and feasts. The holiday lasts for four days.
After the Eid feast, family, friends, and neighbors visit each other's homes. Men, women, and children dress in brand-new outfits specifically bought for the special holiday.
Guests are often met with hot tea and special sweets called kulicha, which is especially made for Eid. Kulicha is a sweetened pastry stuffed or covered with dates or walnuts with sugar and spices such as cinnamon added for flavor.
Adults also give children Jazhnana, a gift of money, and have candy or chocolate available for those who visit their homes with their parents.
In addition to the festivities of coming together to celebrate the first day of Eid, it is also customary for Muslims to visit cemeteries to pay their respects to loved ones they have lost.
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