It’s that time of the year again, when Ramadan is right around the corner and ready to knock on our doors. The Holy month of Ramadan is highly important for Muslims all over the world. Starting with the sight of a crescent moon, this month is all about worshipping and gratitude towards the God Almighty, in addition to fasting and charity. Fasting and charity are amongst the five pillars of Islam, making it mandatory for all those who are physically and financially able to. The month ends with the sighting of another crescent moon, marking the beginning of the month of Shawwal, of which the 1st day is for Eid celebration.
Eid or Eid-ul-Fitr, meaning “Feast of fast breaking” is a major holiday in the Islamic Lunar Calendar. After attending the morning sermon and offering Eid prayers, people wish each other by embracing and offering sweets. Everyone is dressed up in their best clothes especially the children who flaunt their new clothes while receiving “Eidi” – money given on occasion of Eid, from their elders. In India, Eid celebration is incomplete without Sheer kurma or Seviyaan and a feast of Biryani and various other delicacies made specifically for the occasion. Relatives visiting each other and exchanging gifts, families gathering together to share their meals, and small fairs organized for the entertainment of children are a common sight on Eid.
As the month of Ramadan nears its end and the day of Eid starts getting closer many people gear up to take a break from their routine and plan a trip to spend some quality time with their loved ones and to witness Eid celebrations of other places and communities.
Wondering how Eid is celebrated in different countries??
We have compiled a list of top 6 tourist destinations, which will help you decide where to head to for your next Eid celebration.
1. Dubai
Dubai lives life king size so there is no doubt that Eid celebrations wouldn’t be fit for a king. One of the best places to witness Eid celebration on Earth, Dubai’s Eid is a perfect blend of Emirati etiquettes and modern values along with mouth-watering Arab food and hospitality, of which they are very proud of and rightly so! You cannot miss this opportunity to have the best of both the worlds – the old world charm and the new world facilities.
UAE authorities put in a lot of efforts to make Eid celebrations glorious and fun. With several events organized from firework displays, live concerts, face-painting, street performers doing various stunts like blowing fire and walking on ropes and stilts, several henna stalls scattered all along the streets, etc. Dubai caters to everyone from kids to adults alike.
As Eid approaches, every inch of Dubai is decorated and every mall is jam packed with shoppers buying gifts for their loved ones. All the shops in malls and shopping centers offer discounts and deals also many last minute sales are announced, that are just too good to be true! If you love shopping, then you shouldn’t miss an opportunity to visit Dubai during these days. Dubai provides the best options for shopping; be it budget or luxury!
Want to know the best part? Planning a trip to Dubai is very easy as the Dubai visa gets processed within 24 hours! You can even choose among our various Dubai holiday package of your choice for the best Dubai holiday.
Also Read: 8 Insane Things You’ll Only See In Dubai
2. Turkey
This transcontinental nation has an almost carnival like atmosphere during Eid celebration, which has been going on since the Ottoman times in the country. However, slowly it is giving up the Ottoman traditions of street performances and parades and adopting new traditions inspired by Christmas and Halloween of exchanging gifts and offering sweets and candies to the kids respectively.
Eid is known as “Şeker Bayramı” or Sugar Feast in Turkey due to the high amount of candies, sweets and various Turkish delights made especially for this occasion. Many believe it’s a mispronunciation of the original phrase “Şükür Bayramı”, where “Şükür” meaning “gratitude” was replaced by “Şeker” meaning “sugar” and with Turkish desserts like Baklava, Lokum, Güllaç, and Künefe, etc. gaining popularity all over the world, we are not all surprised by this change. If you have a sweet tooth, then this is the place for you to be.
If you plan a Turkey holiday during the month of Ramadan we suggest visiting the Blue Mosque and Sophia Hagia Mosque during the time of the evening meal called Iftar, where the locals gather around and distribute delicious Turkish local specialties to all. What’s better than being a part of the community and sharing a meal with them while experiencing their hospitality firsthand? Nothing!
The best part about obtaining a Turkey visa for Indians is, if you have a valid USA visa you can apply for Turkey evisa online which will be delivered directly to your inbox, saving you time and the hassle of visiting the Turkish embassy.
Also Read: How To Apply For Turkey Visa Online For Indians
3. Egypt
The cradle of civilization – Egypt, is filled with wonder and sights to admire, from the River Nile, Pyramids and Sphinx, and Red Sea to Mount Sinai, etc. but the country’s enthusiasm and fervor in celebrating Eid is something that should be in your travel bucket list. Pick any city of your choice Cairo, Alexandria, Sharm el Sheikh, Aswan, Sohag or literally any other city; you are truly bound to have an experience of a lifetime.
The month of Ramadan starts with colorful lanterns adorning the streets of Egypt, which are lit throughout the month every evening at the time of breaking the fast at sunset till before dawn when the fast starts again. Qamar-eddeen a local drink made of apricot juice mixed with nuts is served along with dates to break the fast and a variety of dishes from the Egyptian cuisine are made and shared amongst relatives, neighbors and friends, highlighting the Egyptian spirit of sharing and caring.
When the crescent of Eid is seen the country rides a wave of celebration that lasts for 3 whole days. Houses are decorated with lanterns and fairy lights, public places like parks, malls and beaches have fun rides set up for the kids along with stalls offering local snacks. Dishes like Mahshi, Molokhia, Mesaka’a, Batatis Bil Frakh, etc. are all prepared with great enthusiasm for the Eid feast. Families gather around and spend the day with each other; kids dressed up to their toes get “Eidyah” from their elders, marking their Eid celebration complete.
Whether you apply for your Egypt visa before Ramadan to experience the Holy month in all of its glory or during Ramadan to witness its end and be a part of the country’s Eid celebration, you should definitely check out our Egypt tour packages which we have specially curated to let you experience Egyptian like a pharaoh.
4. Malaysia
Photo Credit: Syariff Hidayatullah
Malaysian Ramadan is a highly important affair, from the first day of Ramadan being an official holiday in several states, to several offices shortening their work hours to allow their employees to reach home in time to prepare the meal for breaking their fast or just in time to be with their families for it and the opening of several month long Ramadan Bazaars that add a spark to the already brightly shining Malaysian street food and shopping scene.
As much as Ramadan, Eid celebrations are an integral part of Malaysian culture. Known as “Hari Raya” or day of celebration, Eid is a big deal in Malaysia as it is pre-dominantly an Islamic country, despite being the influx of religions, traditions and cultures. A week before Hari Raya, many shopping malls will be crowded with people buying the perfect Baju Kurung, Baju Kebaya, and Baju Melayu as “Baju Raya”- clothes for celebration.
Malaysians travel towards their hometowns to celebrate Eid among family and friends, major cities like Kuala Lumpur will be mostly empty due to this. Malaysia’s citizens have a beautiful concept of open houses wherein they open their doors and welcome guests to take part in the festivities no matter their caste, race or religion. They make a spread of lip smacking Malaysian dishes like Bubur, Lambuk, Lemang, Ketupat, Rendang, and Kuih Raya – special biscuits made on the occasion of Eid, and share them with their visitors.
Surely, you might be curious now to witness Eid celebration in Malaysia just to treat yourself with amazing food and hospitality. Here’s a tip from us, as Malaysia is soon re-opening after a closure of 2 years, apply for your Malaysia visa now, and do not miss out this golden opportunity to be a part of their Eid celebrations.
Also Read: Explore Malaysia On A Budget
5. Singapore
Eid celebration in Singapore is very similar to that of Malaysia. It is also called Hari Raya in Singapore very much like in Malaysia.
The Malay population in Singapore (and also in Malaysia), light the traditional cannon shaped firecrackers made of hollow bamboo tubes called Meriam Buluh to express their happiness on this day.
After a month long of fasting and worshipping the devotees all gather around with their loved ones and celebrate Eid with lots of merriment and joy. Drool worthy dishes like Rendang, Sambal, Kueh, Putu Piring, Ondeh-Ondeh, Kuih Bangkit, Sayur Ladeh, etc. are among the few that brighten the Eid spread prepared to mark the festivity.
Fascinating decorations at Geylang Serai attract crowds of people who are planning an outing with their family and friends. Special Bazaar set up just for the occasion of Eid is a perfect spot to eat, shop and just to hang out with your loved ones if you are in the mood for it. If you are in Singapore this Eid, don’t miss out the mesmerizing projections on the Sultan Mosque, which will truly hypnotize you.
What’s more? Indians can apply for Singapore visa and can get access to the country for 2 whole years; also it is very easy to book flight and accommodations through our website. We also have special Singapore holiday packages that make your Singapore trip planning very easy.
Also Read: Singapore Visa: Requirements, Application, Fees, Validity & More
6. India
Photo Credit: prudhvichowdary
The country where as soon as the crescent for Ramadan is sighted or as soon as Diwali approaches, messages like “Ramadan me Ram aata hai aur Diwali me Ali aata hai” are shared and forwarded countless times, showing the spirit of unity and brotherhood among our country, and how much we love celebrating any or all festivals, be it Eid or Diwali.
Ramadan itself is celebrated like a month long festival in India. Major Indian cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow, Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bhopal, etc. are well renowned for their special street food scene during the nights of Ramadan. Think of it as a month long food fest where people of all caste and religion bond over delectable food and share their love for good food with each other.
Eid celebration in India starts the night before when the crescent moon is sighted, women get busy in doing prep work for the dishes that will be the star attraction of their Eid feast and markets are filled with people rushing for last minute shopping from men rushing to find the perfect jhubba or pathaani to wear next morning, to women struggling to find matching dupattas or bangles or other jewelry to perfectly match and complete their Eid attire. Women of all ages get their hands adorned with henna; some opt for intricate designs where as some go for bold and old school designs.
Early morning sermon and Eid prayers are followed by everyone embracing, shaking hands and people kissing their elders hands and touching it to their foreheads as a sign respect and wishing each other “Eid Mubarak” meaning “Blessed Festival”, kids dressed up in new clothes, running about in small fairs set up spending their “Eidi” on joy rides, toys and sweets and delicacies that are sold at various stalls, street performers performing various acts like rope walking and several loudspeakers blaring qawwalis and eid songs are amongst the very common sights of Eid celebration in India.
As we mentioned earlier, Seviyaan, Sheer kurma, Biryani, Korma, varieties of Kebabs, Samosas and what not are parts of the Eid feast, where families gather around and enjoy each other’s company while enjoying the food. Apart from family, sharing our food with our friends and neighbors is a way of sharing our blessings with our near and dear ones.
Also Read: 5 Cheap International Trips from India
Apart from the above mentioned destinations, many Muslims choose to go for Umrah in Ramadan (Umrah is an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca that can be taken any time of the year unlike Hajj that has fixed dates as per the Islamic Lunar Calendar) wherein they celebrate Eid either in Mecca or Medina. Performing Umrah in Ramadan is considered highly auspicious and many people from all over the world rush towards the two of the most holy cities in Islam. If you want to experience peace, serenity and spirituality like no other place in the world, then getting an Umrah package and visiting these holy cities, will be the best way to rejuvenate your soul while you celebrate your Eid this year.
Attending morning sermon, offering Eid prayers, meeting your friends, family and acquaintances, sharing food and most importantly, being grateful to the Almighty are common factors of Eid celebration no matter where you are in the world.
So have you shortlisted any destination from the above list to make your Eid celebration more memorable this year? Or you have a different destination in mind which we missed to cover? Comment and let us know.
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