Sada-e-Watan Sydney ™
sadaewatan@gmail.com
Chand Raat Eid Festival is
a cultural rather than a religious celebration. Chand Raat which means 'night of
the moon' in the Urdu language marks the end of Ramadan and the start of
Eid-ul-Fitr. Since the Islamic Calendar is lunar, Eid-ul-Fitr is on the first of
Shawwal - the tenth month of the Islamic year. Since this custom is dependent on
the sighting of the moon, it can often happen on different days in different
parts of the world. Chand Raat Eid Festival is a unique event as it is held at
night like the Chand Raat late night shopping in various parts of the Muslim
world.
The festival is a traditional annual event celebrated on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr
in many different countries around the world. It is an open market cum festival
that starts in the evening and goes late into the night. The aim of celebrating
the Chand Raat Eid Festival is to promote traditional Eid celebrations in
multicultural Australia among the younger generation, especially those born and
raised in Australia. The festival is an opportunity for families to get
together, do some Eid shopping and eat delicious foods from a variety of stalls.
The community groups and individuals sell clothes, jewelry, henna, bangles,
shoes, food, toys and many other traditional items. It also provides the
opportunity for many Australians unaware of such festivities to get together and
enjoy the various different cultural exhibitions. The festival also provides
children amusements and rides.
In 1998 in Sydney, on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr , Surraya Hassan - a prominent
active lady in Pakistani community in Sydney - organised the first Chand Raat
Eid Festival for the Muslims especially for the Pakistani community at the
Islamic Centre Chullora. Hundreds of people from various cultural backgrounds
attended this unique festival with their families. Since then, Surraya Hassan
has been organising this growing Multicultural ( Chand Raat) Eid Festival, every
year, under the banner of Pakistan Community Services.
The Chand Raat Festival has become a very special long awaited annual event
where many renowned South Asian community and local leaders participate.
The organiser also associated the event, every year, to noble causes &
campaigns. For example ; in 2005, Mayor of Canterbury Council, Honourable Robert
Furolo was the Chief Guest at the event held in Orion Function Centre, Campsie.
The event was dedicated to the South Asian earthquake victims. The Mayor
inaugurated the earthquake donation campaign. He acknowledged the efforts of the
organisers and promised for his and Canterbury Council's support.
The Chand Raat Eid Festival receives astounding local and international coverage
through various media groups, such as Tribune International, Sydney Morning
Herald, Akbar-e-Jehan (The world's largest circulated Urdu Magazine being
published from Pakistan), SBS Radio and many other community media groups and
international internet media sites.
The Chand Raat Eid Festival is purely a community event with the organisers
working together on a voluntary basis to provide a memorable family event every
year.
This year (2006), the Chand Raat Eid Festival will mark its 8th anniversary. It
will be held on Sunday the 22nd of October, 2006, at Orion Function Centre,
155 Beamish Street Campsie Sydney.
For Further Information about the event:
Phone: (02) 8756 5976, Fax: (02) 8756 5235, Email:
info@chandraat.net
