Sighting of the new moon of Shawal marks the end of holy month of Ramadan and arrival of Eid-ul-Fitr. The night before Eid, the chaand raat, is one of the most exciting part of the Eid festivities. As soon as the moon is sighted, people start with the preparations and celebrations that go on late into the night, if not the next morning.

Let’s see how Namra feels about that glorious night. “Chaand raat is sort of tiring for me as my friends and cousins and others from the neighbourhood come to me for the application of mendhi on their hands. By the end of it I am too tired to apply henna to my own hands but it is still fun.”

“Chaand raat is full of celebrations,” says Sara. “It is a night of happiness along with the preparations of Eid. For many people there is last minute shopping to be done, besides preparations for the next few days of fun and festivities. It is also the night to be thankful to Allah for all His blessings, as at the end of Ramadan Allah gives us the day of Eid.”

Chaand raat signifies joy and people get involved in different ways to celebrate it. The air is filled with the sound of laughter and the tinkling of bangles.

Although Eid preparation starts in the month of Ramadan, but shopping at chaand raat has its own charm so many people put off buying a few things, such as shoes, bangles and even their Eid clothes, for this night. Some just go shopping for the heck of it, or they hang out somewhere with a few friends, watching the festivities and having some of their favourite fast food.

Many buildings, shopping centres and roads are specially decked up for this occasion and the excitement in the air can easily be felt by people of all ages. So on this chaand raat, spread joy all around and keep alive your traditions.— Amber Saleem