LAHORE, Oct 24: Eid shopping that was interrupted because of a Ruet-i-Hilal Committee announcement that the festival would be celebrated on Wednesday gained full momentum in Lahore on Tuesday.

A large number of people, including women and children, thronged markets in the city to purchase clothes, shoes and other related items till late in the night.

People normally buy readymade garments, shoes and items for women like bangles, henna or cosmetics during “Chand Raat.”

Business started early in markets like Liberty Market, Main Market, Gulberg, The Mall, Anarkali, Kashmiri Bazaar, Samanabad, Allama Iqbal Town’s Moon Market and Karim Block Market, Chowk Yateem Khana, New Garden Town’s Barkat Market, Ichhra, Defence, Shadman and Fortress Stadium.

But it gained momentum in the afternoon, as people came out to shop leisurely. A large number of those having nothing to buy too visited the markets just to enjoy the atmosphere but the presence of a strong police posse in every market kept rowdy among them in limits.

The prices of readymade clothes and shoes were high but they were sold like hot cakes. There existed places where people with less income could do Eid shopping for themselves and their families.

A good quality shirt-trousers suit for boys was available in Anarkali or Liberty Market from Rs800 to Rs1,600. Similarly, shalwar kameez or frocks for girls were sold from Rs1,000 to Rs2,500. They were also available at less prices in some places in Anarkali, Samanabad or Kashmiri Bazaar.

The prices of shoes for children ranged from Rs250 to Rs1,000. Those for men carried a tag price of Rs400 to Rs2,000 and for women Rs300 to Rs2,500, allowing everyone to buy according to their economic condition.

Stalls of bangles and henna, mushroomed everywhere in the city, did a roaring business. There was overcharging but this could not prevent women from buying different varieties of bangles or getting their hands dyed with henna.

Bangles of various quality, design and material carried different prices. They were from just Rs50 to Rs3,000 and here the choice matched the purchasing power and the desire.

Cosmetics for women were a great attraction. Branded perfumes too were sold in great numbers but many a traditional people purchased ittar from specified few local perfumeries on The Mall, in Kashmiri Bazaar and Anarkali.

Florists, who had stocked flowers on Monday, got more supplies. The prices were higher than the routine but people bought bouquets for Eid and garlands and flowers to lay on the graves of their dead relatives.

Vermicelli and sweets were in great demand and people stocked cold drinks. —Staff Reporter