Dubai, Abu Dhabi: The Grand Mussallah (Eid prayer ground) in Bur Dubai had started to fill up slowly, but thousands had arrived by 5.45am on the first day of Eid Al Fitr.
As the minutes ticked by to the start of Eid prayers, set for 6.30am in Dubai, the streets leading to the prayer grounds started getting jam-packed.
Roads leading to the site had been cordoned off and motorists had to park their cars blocks away and walk to the prayer ground. Fathers held the hands of their children as they crossed the roads, while women, dressed in colourful clothes, happily chatted about their plans for the day.
The Eid festivities have attracted a large number of people from the neighbouring Gulf states who have come to Dubai to spend the holidays with their relatives and friends. The crowd of people was so immense that worshippers spilled out onto the roads, spread their prayer mats and waited patiently for the muezzin's call.
There was a time difference of a few minutes set for the Eid prayers in each emirate, with Sharjah at 6.25am and Abu Dhabi, four minutes earlier at 6.21am.
Clerics had been instructed to keep the prayers short so that worshippers were not kept for long in the open air, on a hot and humid morning.
As the day progressed, managers of sweet shops hardly had time to speak as they were swamped by customers. Sweets were being bought by the kilo at one shop in Bur Dubai.
Restaurant managers were prepared for the huge rush as Muslim families splurged on eating.
Family time
"Eid to me is all about family get-togethers, traditional delicacies and exchanging gifts," said Afra Al Ameri, a young Emirati in Abu Dhabi. This was her first Eid as an earning member of the family and she had bought gifts for her parents, sisters, brothers and cousins.
Preparations for Eid start just as the month-long dawn to dusk fasting during Ramadan draws to a close. Homes are cleaned and decorated. The women get ready for visits from family members, decorating their hands with henna. Tailors have a tough time this time of the year, preparing and altering the designs of dresses for their fussy customers. "The family visits are a must and if someone is missing, the grandmother asks loudly about whoever it is," explained an Emirati who works in the media in Dubai.
"Giving charity is also part of the celebrations. But it's kept low key, as it should be," said Afra.
Mehnaz Abdul Rahman, an Indian homemaker and mother of three said: "On Eid, my day starts very early around 4am, so that I can finish cooking before its time for the congregational prayer."
First day
Children are given ‘Eidiya' [money given by the elders in the family] once we return after prayer", she said, adding that most of the first day is spent at home. The second day is the time for get together with friends and relatives. "Each family cooks a dish and meets at a place we all decide on. This time we are meeting at a villa in Hatta," she said.
Dr Salem Kamil, a Jordanian cosmetic surgeon, said the first day of Eid is exclusive family time. "We usually do not go out on the first day of Eid as we have relatives come over." The families cook traditional meals together and also exchang e gifts.
Mounir Haider, a Pakistani who owns a consultancy firm, said that giving and receiving gifts adds to the joy of Eid. "Gold and perfume are the usual gifts I buy for my mother and sisters," he said.
How are you celebrating Eid? Do you have any special activities planned for this holiday? What does Eid mean to you?
