By Sarmad Qazi
The Eid al- Adha festival, which marks the culmination of the Haj, was celebrated yesterday with religious fervour and traditional festivity across Qatar with prayers, feasts, and the symbolic slaughter of livestock.
In the morning, thousands thronged the various grand mosques and prayer grounds, to offer special prayers. At the end of the prayers, worshippers embraced each other with greetings of “Eid Mubarak”.
At the Emiri Diwan, well-wishers including sheikhs and citizens were received by HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani following Eid prayers.
The visitors offered their congratulations to HH the Emir.
Earlier, on Thursday evening pastry shops, shopping malls, and supermarkets were packed with people buying sweets, gifts, and running last-minute shopping errands.
Souqs too were crowded with people buying gifts such as perfumes.
Following the prayers yesterday, hundreds of buyers headed out to the Central Livestock Market in Mesaimeer where bargaining over the best livestock began.
This year the state-owned Mawashi company has stocked sheep from six different countries as well as cows from Australia and Somalia, all available for fixed-prices.
Islam makes its mandatory for all families who can afford it to sacrifice an animal and then divide the meat among themselves, the poor, friends and neighbours, on Eid al-Adha.
In the evening, a slew of community-wide events began at various entertainment venues across the country including public malls, parks, hotels and beaches.
Crowds thronged the popular beach next to Sealine Resort in Mesaieed, where they swam, rode quad-bikes, and enjoyed camel rides.
In the city, dozens of families showed up at the Villagio as one of the largest family-oriented theme parks opened its doors for visitors in the afternoon.
The “Gondolania” Family Entertainment Centre features such thrill rides as roller coaster, flume ride, tap dance, drop zone, sky loop, carousel, and Ferris wheel, in addition to a video arcade area.
At the Hyatt Plaza family-oriented activities which will run until November 30 began from 6.30pm at the Fashion concourse area.
Thousands also turned up at City Center Doha which is hosting the acclaimed puppet theatre group Chudaki which performed its Four Seasons musical series.
The show runs daily until December 6 with the first show Four Seasons starting at 6.40pm (until 7.20pm) and the second show Play with Us commencing at 8pm and ending at 8.40pm.
Thanks to the pleasant weather, residents also swarmed Souq Waqif where a variety of acrobatic shows began yesterday.
The shows will continue until December 1 from 4pm until midnight.
Privately-owned Al Dosari Zoo and Game reserve is also celebrating Eid starting today from 6am to 6pm. Activities include competitions, horse-riding and camel riding.
The Zoo is located on the Shahaniya Road. For information call 4908785.
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