October 2006

October has been full of the usual projects that we run at Sangat, but I organised a major event in partnership with Fazeela Hanif at Keighley Healthy Living Network. "Chand Raat", which means the 'moon night', is a cultural celebration before the day of Eid, when all of the women get together to apply henna, dress up and talk about the festival. It was funded by Breast Cancer Awareness, as we wanted the event to give a health message to the women. It was a huge success and the attendance was more than expected. Chaand Raat is a time of celebration when families and friends gather in open areas at the end of the last day of Ramadan to spot the new moon, which signals the arrival of the Islamic month of Shawwal and the day of Eid. Once the moon is sighted, people wish each other Chaand Raat Mubarak ("Have a blessed night of the new moon") or Eid Mubarak ("Blessings of the Eid day"). Women and girls decorate their hands with mehndi (henna), and people prepare desserts for the next day of Eid and do the last round of shopping.