E-cards, SMS replace Eid greeting cards

227 MOSQUES
READY FOR
EID PRAYERS
HOTELS GEAR
UP FOR EID
HOLIDAYS
PAGE 14 | DATELINE DOHA
PAGE 14 | DATELINE DOHA
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Tuesday, August 30, 2011
E-cards, SMS replace Eid greeting cards
L N MALLICK
greeting cards,” he said.
He also attributed the
downturn in the business to
THE tradition of exchanging the demolition of Musheirib
Eid greeting cards is becom- area which forced them to
ing a thing of the past as relocate to other places.
retailers of the cards have “After the demolition of our
been reporting sharp decline premises on Abdullah Bin
in their sales.
Thani Street, we have moved
Naaz Store, a hotspot for to old airport area and many
quality cards since 1958, used of our customers still don’t
to sell over 200,000 cards know our new location. This
during
Eid
is another reauntil a few
son for our
Exclusive poor sales,”
years ago.
“Our sales
said Qayyum.
have been constantly declinHe said the store has a wide
ing. We hardly sold even variety of cards with prices
5,000 cards for this Eid, com- ranging between QR5 to
pared to more than 200,000 QR50.
Rashid Ahmed of Dar al
pieces we used to sell a few
years ago,” said store’s owner Thaqaf library in Farij al Nasr
area said he did not even
Syed Qayyum.
He attributed the decline in order for fresh stock of cards
sales to many factors, includ- this year because of the poor
ing increasing popularity of sale. Despite selling at low
electronic mails (e-mails), e- prices, there is hardly any
cards and text messaging. customer for the cards. “All
“The greatest threat to our our cards are priced below
business is the advancement QR6 but there is hardly any
of technology as people now customer. Today, we sold
prefer to greet through text only two Eid cards. The reamessages, emails and social son behind the decline in sale
networking websites instead is because people now prefer
of sending conventional sending emails or text mesDOHA
QT
Nationline
Emir exchanges Eid
greetings with
Arab leaders
THE Emir His Highness
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa
al Thani on Monday
exchanged cables of congratulations with the leaders
of the Arab and Islamic
Muslim countries on the
advent of Eid al Fitr (lesser
Bairam). HH the Emir, in
turn, received similar cables
of congratulations from a
number of leaders of friendly
countries on the blessed
occasion. The Heir Apparent
His Highness Sheikh Tamim
bin Hamad al Thani also
reciprocated similar cables
with the leaders of the Arab
and Islamic countries and
the Heirs Apparent on the
same occasion. (QNA)
Emir to receive
well-wishers today
THE Emiri Diwan
announced that the Emir
His Highness Sheikh
Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani
will receive the well-wishers
at Al Wajbah Palace in the
morning of the first day of
Eid al Fitr as follows:
Immediately after Eid prayer
and till 07:00 am, HH the
Emir will receive sheikhs,
the ministers, the Advisory
Council speaker, the undersecretaries of ministries, the
advisory council members
and the citizens. From
07:00 to 07:15 am, HH
the Emir will receive the
heads of the diplomatic
missions accredited to
Qatar. From 07:15 to
07:30am, HH the emir will
also receive officers of the
armed forces and the police
as well as the directors of
departments and national
corporations. HH the Emir
will also receive sheikhs
and the citizens after Asr
(afternoon) prayer till
04:15 pm. (QNA)
A customer looks for Eid greeting cards in the Naaz Store at old airport area, in Doha, on Sunday.
sages. Sending a card abroad
is expensive and it takes days
to get it delivered. But phone
text message or email is
instant,” he said.
A saleswoman at Gulf
Greetings told Qatar Tribune
on Sunday, “We offered discount on bulk purchase of
cards. Our cards are priced
below QR35. Today, I have
not sold even a single card.”
Sales have also nosedived
at Al Shahwani Library,
another popular shop for Eid
cards. Popularly known as
Postmaster’s shop among
Pakistani community in
Qatar, the library is run by
two sons of Mian Muhammad
FESTIVE MOOD IN THE AIR
Shoppers throng malls
People flock to the LuLu Hypermarket, in Doha, on Monday. (JALAL PATHIYOOR)
CATHERINE W GICHUKI
items for Eid celebration and I
don’t want to miss any of them. I
will prepare various dishes for my
SHOPPING malls and hypermarkets family and friends.”
in Doha were abuzz with citizens and
Women flocked to the hypermarresidents who rushed to finish their kets not only for shopping. Young
last-minute shopping for Eid al Fitr women could be seen waiting for
on Monday before the shops close on their turns to get henna applied on
the occasion of Eid.
their hands by a group of beauticians.
Roads leading to popular malls The henna painters were doing brisk
and shopping combusiness with higher
plexes such as City
charges
between
Exclusive QR20 and QR50 and
Center,
Villagio,
Landmark and The
between QR20 and
Center were choc-a-bloc with vehi- QR40 from adult and children
cles and it was difficult to get parking respectively.
space for cars.
“To me, Eid is not complete withPeople from all walks of life came out henna on my hands. I like henna
out in large numbers and went on a designs. It adds to my festive mood,”
shopping spree at Souq Haraj in said Reem, a Lebanese woman.
Najma, Souq Filipino and Matar
Shops selling ornaments and
Qadeem streets, rushing to buy their beauty products recorded high
requirements for the Eid celebration. sales. People bought clothes, banBarber shops, beauty salons, car gles, sweets and electronics, among
washing outlets, meat shops and other items, as gifts for their famitailoring shops also witnessed a lies and friends.
A trader selling clothes at Matar
brisk business after the announceQadeem said that the sale of clothes
ment of Eid.
The Mesaimeer market was in his shop had increased significantthronged by shoppers buying sheep, ly for the last few days. “Today, peogoats, fish, as well as fresh fruits and ple started coming immediately after
I opened my shop. The sale is really
vegetables.
“There has been a shortage of good. I can’t complain. The products
chicken, fish and broccoli due to a in my shop are affordable and that is
huge demand. I came early because I why they attract many people,” said
fear these commodities might run Suresh, an Indian shopkeeper.
“I am buying gifts for my family
out of stock,” said a Filipina shopper.
Sheima, who visited Lulu and friends. I want them to feel speHypermarket early in the morning, cial during this season. This is a
said: “I came this morning because unique occasion for us,” said
I am sure the place will be crowded Moideen, a shopper at Al Meera in
later in the day. I want to buy many Al Wakrah.
DOHA
QT
Rafiq Ahmed, the first postmaster general of Qatar.
Cards at this store are usually cheap because it caters to
the need of low-income workers. It offers cards in the
range of QR5 to QR15.
Another salesman at Al
Faraq Bookshop in Al Hilal
area said no one was buying
Eid cards even at QR3. “This
year we are not selling Eid
greeting cards because there
is hardly any customer for
this item,” said a shopkeeper
at Al Ala Foods.
Some shops, like the
Archies at Lulu Hypermarket,
which was a popular shop for
selling greeting cards and
accessories, even closed
down.
The practice of exchanging
Eid cards is very old and
Muslims used this means to
express love and good wishes
to their families and friends
during Eid al Fitr celebration.
However, the tradition is
gradually going into extinction because many people do
not fancy it any longer. These
days, people visit markets and
shops to buy things related to
Eid al Fitr, but greeting cards
hardly make it to their list of
shopping. Colourful cards
with diverse messages of
greetings are left only to decorate the racks in the shops,
said Maqsood Chaudhary, a
long-time resident in Qatar.
Tariq Amin, a Pakistani
mechanic, said that affordable
rates of phone calls and text
message packages have made
it easier and cheaper for people to send Eid greetings to
their families and friends.
“Greeting people through a
card can be quite cumbersome, time consuming and
expensive. One must visit the
market, purchase the card,
write a message and then post
it, which is quite a long process
compared to typing and clicking the send button on one’s
mobile phone,” he said.
Ismail Ahmed, a resident of
Doha for the past 20 years,
said Eid cards are a casualty
of
e-communication.
“Internet, SMS and other
means of communication
have become very popular to
exchange greetings these days
as they are less expensive and
more
convenient,”
he
remarked.
Sadat Khan, an Indian
expatriate said that he would
send over 100 messages
through his cell phone. “I use
Facebook and mobile message for wishing Eid but only
buy cards for my close relatives,” he said.
(With inputs from CWG)
14
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
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227mosques
ready for
Eid prayers
MOHAMED KHOULAIDI
DOHA
Vice-Chairperson of Qatar Foundation Dr Saif al Hajri with officials from Al Noor Institute at the bedouin tent during the suhoor hosted by Movenpick Tower & Suites, in
Doha, recently.
Children showcase Qatari tradition
TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK
DOHA
MOVENPICK Tower & Suites
hosted a suhoor based on the
theme of Qatari culture and
tradition at Katara.
The guests were welcomed
by a traditional Qatari band.
They visited a bedouin tent
that offered glimpses into
Qatari cultural life.
The dignitaries enjoyed
seeing the henna lady, traditional bread maker, pearl
diver, ship builder, falcon racers and traditional Qatari
food freshly prepared in the
authentic way.
The guests also enjoyed traditional games performed by
10 children who sang, played
and danced throughout the
evening.
Lamya Sebti, marketing &
communications manager of
Movenpick Tower & Suites,
said: “Movenpick Tower &
Suites is an avid supporter of
Qatari traditions and continues to be proud of supporting
any festivity with cultural
theme. We decided to organise a Qatari-themed suhoor to
pay homage to Qatar and its
traditions and to showcase
Qatar’s rich history and culture and to be different and
unique as we have always
been in our activities.”
A cheque of QR15,000 was
presented to Al Noor
Institute. Khaled al Shoaibi
received the cheque on behalf
of the institute.
Hotels gear up for Eid holidays
AILYN AGONIA
DOHA
THE various hotels in the city
have geared up for the Eid
holidays with attractive offerings such as special room
packages and discounts on
family buffets and meals.
The promotions are intended to lure residents who will
not be travelling for the holidays.
Sheraton Doha Hotel is
offering Eid brunch at its
rooftop
restaurant,
Al
Shaheen, at QR220 (inclusive
of drinks) and QR110 for children above six years on the
first and second day of Eid. A
variety of international and
Arabic dishes will be served
during lunchtime at the
hotel’s family-themed Al
Hubara outlet for QR220 and
QR110 for children on the
second and third day of Eid.
For those who would want
to book rooms at the hotel,
there will be single deluxe
rooms for QR853 (per room
per night) and double deluxe
rooms for QR945 (per room
per night) from August 30 to
September 4. Both offers are
inclusive of breakfast, Internet, upgrade to club level on
availability basis, 10 percent
discount on food and beverage
charges and 15 percent on inhouse laundry services.
At Grand Hyatt, mouthwatering Eid delights will be
available for patrons. A
brunch and dinner buffet can
be availed at The Grill and
Isaan. The Eid family buffet
is priced at QR280 including
soft drinks or QR395 including selected house beverages
and a special bubbly package
at Isaan for QR580. Al Maha
Vodafone launches ‘win
gold’ promotion
TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK
DOHA
VODAFONE has launched its
‘Win Gold’ promotion which
gives its customers the opportunity to win one of over 750
branded gold coins, worth
QR400 each, as well as thousands of chances to win free
airtime. To have the chance
to win the gifts, customers
need to purchase a Vodafone
welcome pack.
“Win Gold’ is a fantastic
promotion and we are
delighted that our customers
are excited by it,” said Alistair
Beak, acting commercial
To have the chance
to win the gifts,
customers need
to purchase a
Vodafone
welcome pack.
director of Vodafone Qatar.
On the occasion of the
launch, the company held
various events in its stores in
celebration.
In addition to the prizes
included in the welcome
packs, draws were held at the
events and two lucky winners
went home with Vodafone
gold coins. The promotion
will run till October 31.
The delicacies await guests at Doha hotels during the Eid holidays.
Lounge’s famous afternoon
tea will be served from
3.30pm to 7.30pm and is
priced at QR95 per person.
Eid getaway package is also
available at the premier
hotel.
InterContinental
is
preparing its Al Wajba
Ballroom for delectable buffet brunch during the Eid
holidays. The culinary team
will be preparing Arabic and
international cuisines for the
occasion.
Belgian Café will open for
lunch with Eid set menu while
the Café restaurant will open
for dinner with Eid buffet.
Favourite hangout venues,
Paloma and Lava Lounge, will
be having three consecutive
ladies’ nights to celebrate Eid
al Fitr. Big Mouth Band,
Paloma’s DJ Shadi and Lava’s
DJ Paul Mendez will heat up
the dance floor with their live
performances and music
selection.
For those opting to stay at
the hotel known for its fabulous beachfront, they have Eid
room package at QR799 for
single room (inclusive of buffet
breakfast) and double room at
QR850 (inclusive of buffet
breakfast with a maximum of
two children below 12 years
old getting free breakfast).
InterContinental’s Bay Club
will offer lots of activities for
the whole family such as water
polo, volleyball, soap soccer,
beach volleyball, fun games
and activities for children.
At the Doha Marriott,
Middle Eastern specialties
will be served from lavish buffets and live cooking stations.
The Al Ruwaq ballroom will
be transformed into a kids’
wonderland with games,
bouncy castle, face painting
and much more.
THE Ministry of Interior and
Ministry of Awqaf (Religious
Endowments) and Islamic
Affairs have said they are prepared to serve citizens and
residents during the Eid holidays.
The Ministry of Awqaf and
Islamic Affairs said it has prepared 227 mosques and
Musalla for the Eid al Fitr
prayers in the various regions
and municipalities. The ministry also announced that
arrangements were made at
21 mosques for women to
offer prayers.
The Central Operations
Department of the Ministry of
Interior will work round the
clock to respond to emergencies during the holidays.
Director of the Department
Colonel Abdullah Ibrahim al
Khulaifi said that the department would operate a 24hour schedule to respond to
all emergency calls within 10
seconds.
Director of the General
Directorate of Civil Defence
Brigadier Abdullah al Suwaid
said the department was prepared to respond to any
emergency situations. He said
that during the Eid holidays
its officers would pay special
attention to the Sealine area
as many families would be
going there.
He advised those travelling
abroad to disconnect electrical appliances at their homes.
First Lieutenant Mohammed Rashid al Murri of the
Traffic Department said that
arrangements had been made
to deploy more patrol cars in
residential areas to avoid traffic accidents, especially hitting pedestrians and children.
According to him, more
patrol cars would also be
deployed in front of mosques,
prayer grounds and on the
roads leading to them, shopping malls, parks and public
entertainment areas to ease
traffic flow.
The head of security patrols
section at the Rescue Police
Department (Al Fazaa)
Colonel Saeed Abu Shaqlah
said that security patrols
would be deployed on all main
roads especially on Salwa
Road and Coastal Road.
Walking patrols, according
to him, would also be
deployed at City Center,
Villaggio mall, Hayat Plaza,
and Landmark complex. The
patrols will also assist in managing traffic in front of
mosques and Eid prayer
grounds.
All the geographical security departments of the
Ministry of Interior including
Capital Security Department,
Dukhan Security Department, Rayyan Security
Department, South Security
Department and North
Security Department have all
made arrangements on maintaining law and order and
ensuring happy and joyous
Eid for every one.
Ministry of Interior officials attend to visitors, in Doha, recently.
Kerala forum bids farewell to former president
SANTHOSH CHANDRAN
DOHA
KERALA socio-cultural expatriate forum, Friends of
Thrissur (FoT), bid farewell
to Shahul Panikkaveettil, its
former president, at a function on Sunday.
Panikkaveettil, who went
back to the Indian state of
Kerala on Monday, lived in
Qatar for 29 years.
A memento was presented
to him by joint convener of
FoT PS Nasar on the occasion.
Talking to Qatar Tribune,
KR Sidharthan, general-secretary of FoT, said that
Friends of Thrissur Joint Convener PS Nasar (fourth right) presents a memento to Shahul
Panikkaveettil (fourth left) at a function, in Doha, on Sunday.
Panikkaveettil’s contribution
to the Indian community
would be well remembered.
The farewell function was
attended by prominent community members, including
Indian Arts and Cultural
Society President Joppachan
Thekkekuttu,
Indian
Community
Benevolent
Forum President Nilangshu
Dey, Indian Cultural Center
President KM Vargheese,
Sanskriti General-Secretary
PN
Baburajan,
Kerala
Muslim Cultural Center VicePresident Abdul Nasar
Nachi, FoT office-beaers VA
Haneef, Pradeep M Menon,
Davis Edakulathoor, Aji Isac
and Rajan Joseph.
FoT treasurer Muhammad
Sageer welcomed the gathering while FoT Vice-President
Naseemudeen proposed a
vote of thanks.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
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