It's the busiest time of the year for shopkeepers across Karachi, as families stock up for the celebration of the Eid. As the holy month of Ramadan comes to an end, locals are crowding into the city's shops and markets to sweep up the bargains.
It's the busiest time of the year for shopkeepers across Karachi, as families stock up for the celebration of the Eid. As the holy month of Ramadan comes to an end, locals are crowding into the city's shops and markets to sweep up the bargains.
For Muslims, Eid-ul-Fitr is one of the happiest occasions of the year.
People like to indulge at Eid. It's an occasion to celebrate new things, to meet relatives and visit friends. And there's a long list of purchases that need to be made, from clothes and shoes to bangles and jewellery.
"For my daughter, there is a checklist, a very, very serious checklist. There has to be a dress, she has to be taken out, shown the festivities, explained. See, it's not just about buying new things, for yourself, your child, or your family. It's about telling them why; what the thought, the procedure is. The festivities are there for a reason. So it's about celebration. So yes, it's very important the children should be taught things and also bought new things," said an Eid shopper named Muzna Ibrahim.
At the women's only shopping and services centre in another part of the city, women are more at ease searching for intimate apparel as well as seeking different services.
The most popular is the application of henna, that decorates the women's hands and feet with intricate patterns. It attracts both the young and old, as they prepare for the religious festival.
At the women's only shopping and services centre in another part of the city, women are more at ease searching for intimate apparel as well as seeking different services.
"I am here for application of henna. I'm preparing for Eid, so getting a facial, getting bangles, and lots more," said Irsa Khan, a student.
"I mean, women really go all out to prepare for this Eid. Because a lot of young girls are getting married after Eid, so they have family dinners and social engagements. Overall, it's a very festive occasion," said a salon owner named Nadia Hussain.
Hussain herself is busy shopping at one of Karachi's designer clothing stores. Back downtown, tailors are hard at work, putting in 18-hour shifts to meet the demands of shoppers.
As the countdown to Eid continues, the work will get even more hectic for workers, as shoppers arrive in ever greater numbers to prepare for Eid on Wednesday.
The Eid holiday begins on the first day of the month of Shawal, the tenth month of the lunar Islamic calendar.
The exact date of the festival differs from place to place as Muslims follow different authorities on moon sightings and astronomical calculations to decide when the holiday begins.
