Lucknow, Oct 9: The mid-night bazars in the city of Nawabs are choc-a-bloc with enthusiastic shoppers, as the holy month of Ramzan draws to a close.

The city seems to be dressed up for Eid ul-Fitr, the festival of unity and brotherhood, while preparations are underway in full-swing.

Markets in the older areas of the state capital viz Nazirabad, Aminabad, Nakhas, Akbari Gate, Pratap Market and Gadbadjhala have transformed into the mid-night bazars, where shopping continues till late at night.

Designer outfits, bijou jewellery, footwear, vanity boxes, crockery and delicious food are beckoning the younger lot while the adults are choosing chicken embroidered kurta-pyjamas and salwaar-suits.

The shoppers are visiting the markets according to its speciality, Chowk Market for chicken clothes, Nazirabad for footwear and Gadbadjhala for artifcial jewellery.

A shopkeeper Rehmat Ali says ''we have a variety of 'sewein' including banarasi, desi and makhni, which is prepared in several ways to give a different look.'' Food lovers are also drop in to the places for delicious galavati, shami, seekh, kakori and boti kababs.

Banners, ''Iftar, Sehri Hamare Yahan Keejiye'' (Come and have Iftar, Sehri here) hanging outside each and every shop, invite the people to begin and break their fast.

The festival is a 'real' celebration time for the shopkeepers, who prosper during this period.

Hamid, a shop owner, says ''the holy month of Ramzan brings a lot of blessings for us. We do good business. We believe in donating a part of our income to the needy, at end of the festival for unity and brotherhood.''

 

UNI