As Eid-e-Milad-un Nabi approaches, children in many city neighbourhoods start collecting funds to build dioramas of the mountains and settlements of Mecca and Madina as a cultural tradition. On 12 Rabi-ul-Awwal every year, young boys and girls display the dioramas in some cases built over several days. In some neighbourhoods these are judged by some of the elders including some clerics. The winning dioramas get a trophy and in some cases also some prizes.
Adnan hoped to win the trophy at the competition this year, which he said, was given by the Market Committee head.
Muhammed Ali, a 13-year-old student at the Cathedral School, was also seen collecting money for decorations. He said that money will be spent on building the model of the Kaaba and the Masji-i-Nabwi.
“I started participating in the competition since I was nine. My friends and I make a wonderful large model every year. Everyone loves it and it is a lot of fun,” said Ali.
Ali’s elder brother Usman Elahi said that the funds were also used to decorate the neighbourhood and the nearby market. He explained that typically the collections were used to buy toys to depict people, animals and transport in the models; lighting; decorations; and food to be distributed among children of the area. He said if some money was still left, it was contributed towards organisation of naat mehfils on the 12 Rabi-ul-Awwal.
Shaukhat Ali, a vendor in the market, said that the children’s passion for participating in the celebrations represented their respect for the day. “The adults participate because of the passion these children bring to the occasion,” he said. Temple Road has the biggest celebration and dioramas display in the city, he said. He said the tradition has been around for more than 20 years.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 10th, 2011.
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