All you need to know about the Garangao Festival
All over Qatar, children are excitedly gearing up for Garangao. But what exactly is this Ramadan celebration?
Every year, Muslims around the world fast from sunrise to sunset during their holy month of Ramadan. Following a lunar calendar, the Islamic month is the ninth month and is a time when Muslims distance themselves from worldly pleasures and reflect on those less fortunate than them.
In the Gulf countries, mid-month witnesses a unique celebration. Referred to as the Garangao festival, children celebrate the halfway point of the fast during the holy month of Ramadan.
Celebrated the 14th night of every Ramadan, the festival hopes to encourage children who have fasted and adds a sense of excitement and wonder. On this night, children roam the streets wearing traditional vibrant dresses and singing traditional songs that mark the occasion, going around door to door to their neighbours and receiving gifts and nuts. They collect the goodies in special cotton bags hung loosely around their necks.
Garangao, or Garga’an, is believed to have originated from the Gulf word ‘Gara’, which connotes the sound of things knocking together, such as the sound of the nuts and sweets that the children carry around their necks. Another explanation is that it comes from the sound of the knocking of children on neighbour’s doors, or the sound of pebbles children carry while they sing and explore the streets.
While the origin of the tradition is not known exactly, one theory suggests that it goes back to the birth of the Prophet Mohammed’s grandson, Hassan ibn Ali, when the prophet’s daughter Fatimah reportedly gave out coloured sugar cubes in celebration of the birth mid-Ramadan.
Of course no festival is complete without its traditional song - and the Garangao festival is no different.
Garangao Girga oh.
Atoona allah yateekum
Give us, let God give you
Bayt Mecca ya wadeekum
To Mecca He’ll take you
Ya Mecca Yal mamoora
The greatly filled Mecca
Yam il salasil wal dahab ya noora
Covered with tassels, gold and light
Atoona min mal allah
Give us from God’s wealth
Yislam lakum Abdullah
May He protect Abdullah (His servants)
Many centres and organisations now have Garangao events organised for children to create a safer environment for children to enjoy the experience without putting themselves at risk. Katara Cultural Village plans routes for children and has gifts and snacks at various entrances. Keep an eye out for updates on our pages to know where the major celebrations will take place this year.
How do you celebrate Garangao? Let us know in the comments below.
Visit our Ramadan Page for more useful information about the Holy Month
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Cover Image Credits: Unsplash
Other Inline Image Credits: Unsplash , Qatar Tribune , DFC , Qatar Tribune
