Jeddah expats celebrate Eid with traditional fervor

Expatriates living in Jeddah celebrated Eid Al-Adha, each and every aspect of which was traditionally similar to one back home.
Saudi Arabia’s western region inhabitants include 1.5 million expats, mostly hailing from India, Pakistan, Egypt, Sudan, Jordan and Yemen working and living in Jeddah and neighboring cities of Rabigh, Yanbu, Taif, Makkah and Madinah.
Most malls and commercial centers were jam-packed. Since last week, families shopped during the day and spent the evenings by the Corniche. For most expatriates, this year’s favorite places for shopping were malls like Al-Andalus, Al-Salam, Haifa, Roshan, Tahalia, and Mall of Arabia. All the Carrefours and Pandas saw more shoppers this year, determined to do the groceries till late night. Newcomers to Jeddah spent their time at the IKEA store, looking around for furniture and fixtures for their new homes.
For Pakistani and Indian expatriates, the famous “desi outlets” in Al-Aziziyah presented an extraordinary exuberance during the Eid Al-Adha season.
Al-Aziziyah is a modern residential-cum-commercial district in central Jeddah catering to everything that a Pakistani or an Indian can demand.
If South Hall in London, Queens in New York, Devon in Chicago, Artesia in Los Angeles and Dundas in Toronto are “Desi areas” for South Asians, it is Aziziyah in Jeddah where the expats especially from the subcontinent can find everything they need for the Eid season.
Whether you come from Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad or from Delhi, Mumbai or Hyderabad, Jeddah’s Aziziyah district is a good substitute.
This week in Aziziyah, fancy showrooms were found filled with traditional apparels and accessories freshly imported for both genders. Beauty salons worked day and night and minted extra bucks. Mini-markets, grocery shops, confectionery houses, and Mughlai restaurants saw more people this year.
In Jeddah, there are more than 50 places where congregational Eid prayers are held. Expatriates from Pakistan and India normally attend Eid congregations in Aziziyah, Rehab, Safa, Ashrafiyah, Baghdadiyah, Salama and Rowdah neighborhoods.