Cool, pleasant Chand Raat and Eid in town

Rawalpindi:The population in town celebrated a cool, calm and pleasant ‘Chand Raat’ and Eidul Fitr and the town did not witness any untoward incident during Eid days at least till filing of this report.

The residents enjoyed the festive occasions of ‘Chand Raat’ and Eid with great fervor and the population witnessed extraordinary crowds on almost all roads and link roads leading to markets soon after the announcement of Eid on Tuesday night till dawn on ‘Chand raat’. The environment of the town, however, remained peaceful and the majority of the roads received a thin traffic load particularly at daytime from the first day of Eid to the third day except for the roads leading to public parks in the region.

Most of the markets in the city and cantonment areas including those located along relatively smaller link roads remained operational till ‘Fajr’ prayers in the night between Tuesday and Wednesday, on Chand Raat, and unlike the past, this year heavy traffic was witnessed not only in the central parts of the city but also in relatively newer markets established in areas like PWD, Scheme 3 extension, Misrial Road and Dhoke Chaudrian on Chand Raat.

Main Murree Road, Rawal Road and the roads leading to markets in Raja Bazaar, Saddar area, Tench Bhatta, Commercial Market in Satellite Town, Banni Chowk, Sadiqabad, Dhoke Khabba and Tipu Road witness heavy traffic on Chand Raat as a huge number of people remained busy in shopping in all markets till Fajr prayers.

After ‘Fajr’ prayers on the first day of Eid, almost all graveyards in town started receiving a heavy influx of people who turned up there to offer ‘fateha’ on the graves of their loved ones. Almost all food streets in major markets and restaurants in even smaller localities received huge crowds to get breakfast in the morning on Eid days.

Also, in the nights from Chand Raat to the second day of Eid, most of the fast food centres, local restaurants and Bar B Q points received a great number of customers. The bakers, confectioners and sweets shops in town also received significantly a good number of customers on ‘Chand raat’ and on Eid days.

Though this year, the government employees are having five-days off from work in connection with Eidul Fitr, the markets in the city remained heavily crowded. From the first day to the third day of Eid, the public parks remained heavily crowded during the daytime while at nights, a number of foodstuff outlets in food streets along Double Road and at Committee Chowk, Banni area, Saddar and along Tipu Road witnessed huge crowds till late at night.

Another reason behind the greater enjoyment on Eid days is that the weather in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi was extremely pleasant with clouds in the sky and cool breeze along with a rain on the first day.

It is also important to mention that in routine life, the majority of the population has been left with little reasons for witnessing joyous moments mainly due to economic crises and inflation. Senior citizens are of the view that as a reaction, people enjoyed the festive occasions of ‘Chand raat’ and Eid with greater zeal to overcome frustrations.