PESHAWAR: The Eid shopping spree on Friday reached to climax in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where great rush of shoppers was witnessed on readmade garments, sweets, bangles and henna shops on the eve of Eidul Fitr.
The outlets of traditional bangles and henna were flooded with girls and women in Peshawar where special stalls in shopping centres and markets were established for Chand Raat.
The exchange of bangles and henna as special gifts among the girls on Eidul Fitr is an old tradition of the sub-continent especially in Peshawar where the great rush of buyers especially of the girls and students were being seen in the Henna and Bangles stalls, which are making roaring business.
Therefore, many shopkeepers have set up colourful stalls in the main markets including Jinnah Street, Deans Trade Centre, Gora Bazaar in cantonment, Meena Bazaar, Karimpura, Qissa Khwani and other important locations in Peshawar, offering different kinds of henna, cosmetics, earrings, gleaming bangles, embroidered clothes, jewellery, handbags, shoes and colourful dresses as Eid special offer.
The shopkeepers selling daily goods and booksellers set up additional stalls of bangles and henna inside their shops keeping in view the girl’s attraction towards these Eid items.
Samina Bibi, (25), who was busy shopping in Jinnah Street Peshawar Cantonment said that she came here from Nowshera to buy crystal bangles and henna for herself, relatives and friends on Chand Raat. “I have bought 10 sets of bangles, henna and will use it during Eid days to look different,” she said.
“Buying shimmering glass bangles matched with beautiful colours of dresses, adorning hands and feet with henna being essential features of eid festivities that multiply our joys” she remarked.
“This is the cheapest way of taking along your friends and relatives as one can buy a full set of bangles and henna for less than Rs 300,” she said. Malaika, (9) who came along with his father for shopping at Deans Center told APP that shopping of bangles and henna always doubles her joy on Eid.
She said that her sister has already bought bangles and cloths to avoid rush on Chand Raat and has decorated her hands with a henna expert. She said the henna tattoos were also available in markets and were easy to paste on hands, feet and could be removed easily, adding the young girls admired henna tattoos associated with celebrations of Eid.
However, she was not happy over the shooting prices of the imported items including readymade garments and shoes and demanded strict action against profiteers. The prices of the Eid special offers items are higher than the previous years and are beyond the purchasing capacity of the middle and salaried class.
The shopping spree have also reached to climax in Nowshera, Charsadda and Swabi where great rush was witnessed in traditional Peshawari and Charsadda Chappals.
“Personally, I like Peshawari Chappal due to its affordable prices and durability,” said Sajid Khan, a resident of Pabbi while talking to APP.
He said prices of these Chappals were economically affordable than imported brands, saying we need to promote our local products to bolster of economy.
