On the hunt to celebrate Chand Raat in true Subcontinental style, Abu Dhabi Week took a tour of our backyard to get the low-down on where to go and what to get when celebrating the end of Ramadan.
Strings of lights decorate the streets, friends gather together for last minute Eid shopping and women apply henna on their fingertips and pick up new bangles for their wrists, it can only mean one thing - it’s Chand Raat.
Chand Raat literally translates to “Night of the Moon” and is a festival celebrating the end of the Holy month of Ramadan. Celebrated largely in the Indian Subcontinent, Chand Raat occurs on the last day of Ramadan when the community comes out in full force to celebrate the sighting of the new moon and the end of the Holy month.
Traditionally, families head out to the local markets and streets in the night to celebrate. Women adorn their hands with henna or “mehndi” as it is called in the Subcontinent, buy “churiyan” or matching bangles to wear with their new Eid clothes and spend hours in the kitchen preparing sweet dishes. Everyone rushes around the festive night, eager to celebrate and of course pick up last minute Eid gifts.
Here at Abu Dhabi Week we were keen to see how others celebrate Chand Raat right here in our backyard, kilometres away from home. Layla Haroon, a wife and mother of Pakistani origin who was born and raised in Abu Dhabi, told us all about how she celebrates this special night.
“I stay awake during Eid’s eve, decorating my sisters’ and mum’s hands with henna, and just putting in place the Eid dresses for me and my family,” Haroon says. “I usually do a lot of shopping and even shop for some new furniture for my house a day or two before Eid - in the literal sense, every corner of the house is revamped to welcome the blessing of this day.”
In terms of celebrating Chand Raat here in Abu Dhabi, Haroon goes on to say, “Living in the UAE makes you learn the different ways in which people from different cultures celebrate Eid.
“Personally, I feel we celebrate Eid in the truest sense of the word. As we live away from our home country, we try our best to make this day different and joyful, and in doing so, we actually end up making it one of the most memorable days of the year!”
Shehbaz Khan, also from Pakistan, has been living in Abu Dhabi for the past year and will be celebrating his first Chand Raat in the capital. He says, “It will be my first Eid Al Fitr in Abu Dhabi and I am planning on going to Al Ain with a few of my friends to do some sightseeing and have a picnic lunch.
“Obviously, the atmosphere here in Abu Dhabi is not the same as in Pakistan, but when you surround yourself with friends, you don’t really feel the difference.”
That really does seem to be the case, as everyone we interviewed about Chand Raat was keen to note that the festival isn’t about the location you live in, but rather the people you choose to spend the day with.
All about the Dirhams
Chand Raat could definitely be described as a consumer holiday with shoppers packing streets to squeeze in last minute Eid shopping.
We headed to our favourite Asian boutiques, fabric shops and malls to get the low down on what happens on Chand Raat.
At the Madinat Zayed Shopping Centre we were able to find loads of churiyan. The kiosks located throughout the mall have a small selection of various bangles for adults and children. However if you are looking for the most authentic and best selection of churiyan available, head down to Malekat Al Moda Trading LLC on the first floor where you’ll be spoilt for choice.
To find out where ADW suggests getting your henna applications check out our last issue (Vol. 4, Issue 30) for a few of our favourites.
Dress the Part
If you’re up to celebrating in true subcontinental style, how about getting an Eid outfit? Abu Dhabi Week scoured the streets to find the best shops and fashion retailers to help you look your very best for Eid Al Fitr. Below is a listing of a few of our favourite shops to help you celebrate in style.
Ready-Made Options:
- Bareeze Embroidered Classics
Our personal favourite, the fabric selection here is unbeatable and consistently on trend. If you’re not in the mood to design your own outfit, there are a handful of stunning ready-made items for purchase for ladies and gents alike.
Location: Hamdan Street, opposite Sun, Sands and Sports
Contact: 02 672 2602 - Al Jehaan Fashions and Klassic Textile
This shop carries some of the only made-to-measure outfits we’ve found here in Abu Dhabi. Select your design via various templates and then head upstairs to the in-house tailors to get them to stitch it up for you.
Location: Hamdan Street, next to Archanna Jewellers
Contact: 02 632 4463 - Zari Zardozi: The Market Place
A curious addition to a well-known Indian restaurant, we were keen to see what this shop had to offer. Filled with authentic Indian clothes, bangles, shoes and a whole host of accessories to get you kitted out in style, suddenly this shop/restaurant combination didn’t seem so strange.
Location: Al Raha Mall
Contact: 02 556 5188 - Grafika Boutique
This boutique offers a variety of high-end Indian and Pakistani fashion designers’ collections to choose from. Do take note that the designer’s collections are available seasonally, so be sure to check the website to know when you should strike! www.grafikauae.com - Location: Al Wahda Mall
Contact: 02 443 7111
Loose Fabric:
- Rivoli Textiles LLC
You can get a little bit of everything at this shop, including material for custom suits and kanduras. Be sure to check out the upstairs of this shop to find everything for saris and shalwar kameez.
Location: Hamdan Street
Contact: 02 679 2996 - Silsila Trading Co. LLC
This fabric shop has one of the largest selections of fabric on offer for both shalwar kameez and saris. Currently they are hosting a Ramadan sale with 20 percent off material, so you’d be hard pressed not to check this shop out.
Location: Hamdan Street, behind UAE Exchange
Contact: 02 634 3787
Sawaiba Khan
