Garangao : The Festival of Children (17 October 2005)

Garangao, celebrated on the 14th day of Ramadan (which falls on the 17 October 2005), is special to the Gulf region and is believed to have its roots in the pearl-diving tradition of the region. Over the years, the festival has gained more popularity with several expatriates joining the celebrations.

This evening, children, clad in their traditional clothes, will come out of their homes and knock on every door in their neighbourhood, which will be ready to receive them with sweets and nuts. They collect the goodies in the special cotton bags, hanging loosely from their necks. Kids will be seen wandering around the streets until late into the night singing the special Garangao song.

Qatar Living will try to get some pictures tonight!

Enquiries with several shops revealed yesterday that the demand for Garangao kits and the special garments was good.

“Now people are not just interested in buying the goodies, but they go for the specially designed packets and bags decorated with popular cartoon characters and other symbols dear to the children. So shops are vying to offer new and attractive designs,� said a shopkeeper. The prices of these packets range from QR5 to QR50, according to the size and varieties of the goodies.

The representative of a leading hypermarket said apart from nationals and Arab expatriates, several Asians have also started buying the Garangao kits to distribute among children.

A Qatari national expressed happiness over the fact that this tradition has been kept alive, despite the modern changes. The celebrations now represent a blend of both old and modern, he added. Several Qatari clubs and organizations, which are instrumental in popularizing the festival, have come out with a variety of cultural events to mark the occasion, as in the previous years.

Sources : The Penninsula