With the approach of Eid al-Fitr in Turkey next Wednesday, and with the joy of breaking the fast for fasting people, the activity in the markets increases, as every year, in a movement aimed at welcoming the days of Eid and buying its traditional needs, the most important of which are sweets.
Visitors to the markets seek to buy Eid supplies and sweets, bring happiness and joy to the faces of family members, and provide sweets to visitors on Eid days, as is customary of generous hospitality.
The markets of the well-known Eminonu area in Istanbul are witnessing a large and intense movement by visitors and shoppers, who aim to buy their basic needs before the start of the holiday.
The markets of the well-known Eminonu area in Istanbul are witnessing a great movement to buy basic necessities before the start of the Eid holiday (Anatolia)
Confectionery supplies
The region is witnessing intense activity in the Egyptian market in the Eminono area, which is a market known for containing all the supplies that families need.
The Egyptian market includes many products, the most important of which are spices and Turkish sweets in various forms, especially lokum and baklava, types of coffee and perfumes, and also witnesses visits from shoppers and tourists visiting Istanbul.
In addition to the Egyptian market, there are markets selling various types of meat, dairy, cheese, and candy that are offered to guests on Eid days, various types of chocolate, and some special sweets.
The markets also include various types of clothing and furnishings, all types of textile products, as well as gifts, toys, various types of pastries, and whatever comes to the mind of every visitor and shopper.
The Egyptian market was built during the rule of Sultan Murad III in 1597, with the aim of financing the construction of the new mosque located opposite the market, and Sultan Hatice Turhan, the mother of Sultan Muhammad VI, completed the construction, which was officially opened in 1667.
The market remained a major center for the spice trade in Türkiye in general, and in Istanbul in particular, for a period of more than two centuries.
Market goers seek to buy Eid supplies and sweets to bring joy and happiness to family members and visitors during the holiday (Anatolia)
Baklava and maamoul
The situation is the same in Eminonu Market in Malta Market and various Istanbul markets, which also witness shopping by all Muslim and Arab communities residing in Turkey.
Baklava of all kinds and lokum are among the most prominent things that shoppers search for in the markets, as they are at the top of the hospitality table among Muslims in Turkey, and they serve them to guests, visitors, and loved ones, and they also enjoy them.
Members of the Arab community also seek to buy Arabic sweets such as maamoul stuffed with dates, nuts, cakes, etc., and some of them prefer to make them at home to create a special ritual, so they aim to buy the ingredients of semolina, sugar, and various nuts.
Shoppers aim to buy all their needs before Eid, as the holiday lasts for days and leads to the closure of markets, so various foods are purchased for the days of Eid and beyond.
The Egyptian Market in Istanbul was built during the rule of the Ottoman Sultan Murad III in 1597 (Anatolia)
Clothes and gifts
Other supplies that shoppers are looking for include Eid clothes, which are especially loved by children, as families seek to buy them from various markets and commercial complexes.
Eid dates, which come once a year, are an opportunity for children to buy suitable clothes. They love to acquire and wear them on the morning of the first day of Eid, and it represents another joy for them, in addition to the joy of breaking the fast and Eid.
Families also seek to buy various gifts for their children, and the elderly are keen to buy these gifts for their grandchildren, while others prefer to give the Eidiya, which is a sum of money, to the children.
A smile appears on the faces of the shoppers as they carry different bags filled with supplies that will make their loved ones happy, hoping that God will accept their acts of worship and obedience, complete the completion of the Qur’an, celebrate Laylat al-Qadr, perform Tarawih prayers, and complete the Qur’anic interview in mosques.
