Ramazan Bayramı

Ramazan Bayramı

This week sees the end of the holy month of Ramadan – Eid-al-Fitr. In Türkiye, Eid is known as Ramazan Bayramı and is celebrated with three days of feasting this year the celebration is Day 1 Friday 21st,  Day 2 Saturday 22nd,  Day 3 Sunday 23rd April ( Which is also another special celebrated day in Turkiye known as Children’s Bayram )

The majority of the population in Turkiye are muslims, it is good to know that the entire country will be full of cheerful spirit during Ramazan Bayramı . The festival comes at the end of the holy month of Ramadan called Eid al-Fitr, which refers to the breaking of the fast.

Here in Turkiye there are a few names for the celebration such as Seker Bayramı, Ramazan Bayramı . Seker Bayramı is created from the tradtional children’s habit who knock on the doors of the neighbors asking for sweets and chocolate treats, this is why most Turks buy large portions of sweets to delighfully distribute to children.

Turkish families will firstly visit their elderly relatives, asking for their blessing due to beliefs in the importance of kinship ties and family connections. This is respect for their olders, children visiting there grandparents in their best clothes with greetings of Bayram kissing on the back of the hand of the older person than to their own forhead is is sign of respect and love for that person. In turn the older will give the child a sweet treat and if they are lucky some money !

It is also a very common custom in Turkiye to visit the cemeteries to ask for mercy for them on the morning of the first day of Eid , immediatley after the Eid prayer.

In the Turskish household on the days running up to Ramazan Bayram you will find the ladies of the house busy making mouthwatering sweet dishes such as Baklava serving it to there families, friends, and guest during the 3 day celebration.

Ramazan Bayramı is the time of giving and gathering . The men will prepare themselves by wearing their finest clothes to attend the Bayram Namazi ( the Eid prayers ) from the mosque they will visit the cemeteries, visiting relatives , asking God for forgiveness and mercy. Some will donate to charity to help the needy and believe of the importance of giving and sympathy.

One of the most impressive and important traditions of the Turks is teaching their children about solidarity within their society, by accompanying the children to the mosque giving them pocketmoney and let them go out to knock on neigbors doors to collect sweets and candies.

Iyı Bayramlar !