Tag: Eid el-Adha

  • VOA | Rising Meat Prices in Turkey Put Crimp on Eid Festival

    VOA | Rising Meat Prices in Turkey Put Crimp on Eid Festival

    Turkey begins its celebration of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha on Tuesday. The festival of sacrifice is traditionally marked by families killing sheep or cattle.  But  with the price of meat rising to an alarming levels over the past few weeks, there has been a a public outcry.

    Muslims around the world will observe Eid al-Ahda, the major Muslim festival marking the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and a remembrance prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice of his son, now symbolized by the slaughtering of sheep, (File)
    Muslims around the world will observe Eid al-Ahda, the major Muslim festival marking the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and a remembrance prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice of his son, now symbolized by the slaughtering of sheep, (File)

    A buyer and seller are shaking hands while haggling over the price of livestock. As tradition dictates the grip is broken only when a deal is struck. This scenario is being repeated all over the country as more than two and half million sheep and cattle will be sacrificed during the Eid al-Adha festival.

    This year, however, the haggling has hit a snag as sky high meat prices factor in. Mehmet Tas came here to buy an animal to sacrifice, but will go home empty handed:

    We came here to get an animal for sacrifice but the prices are too high, he says. Much higher than the price fixed by the state. So we can’t buy. The price goes up to $2000.

    And, the sellers are taking a hit as well. At this  market in Istanbul,  Sinan Gul tells me there are too few buyers. He traveled 300 kilometer to sell his animals.

    There is no buyer now. Nobody buys now, he says, but we can we do. It’s so expensive now for us to bring up animals, and the cost of bring them here.

    Last month, Turkey’s religious affairs directorate called on people to not refrain from sacrificing animals as it may further drive up the country’s high meat prices. But under pressure from the government, he immediately withdrew the call.

    Despite government claims of no shortages, the price of meat has more than doubled in the last the two years. And they continue to rise.

    Over the weekend, TV political programs were filled with discussions about why the price of meat continues to rise. Some blame the sellers for hoarding in a bid to drive prices higher;  while others blame Middle Eastern nation’s for buying Turkey’s stock. Other suggest global warning is to blame.

    Regardless, the government is feeling the heat, especially as many of its supporters are religiously conservative.

    In a bid to bring down prices, the government has eased a ban on importing livestock. Agriculture Minister Mehdi Eker promised things will be brought under control.

    Yes prices are exaggerated but I am sure things will settle down. This happens every year.  The Meat and Fish Authority imported 20,000 animals to Istanbul alone, he says.

    Turkey has imported animals from as far as South America. Most have come from neighboring European countries. But, despite the effort,  prices remain stubbornly high.

    Many, such as Abdullah Kaptan, are left hoping to find a late bargain.

    This is not a realistic  price for an animal, it’s just too high so we will wait, he says. If it is financially possible we will sacrifice. If not we won’t. We can’t sacrifice for such a higher price.

    But analysts warns that bargains are in short supply this year, meaning many will have to forgo the tradition of sacrifice.

    via VOA | Rising Meat Prices in Turkey Put Crimp on Eid Festival | Middle East | English.

  • Restored Suleymaniye Mosque to open at Eid el-Adha

    Restored Suleymaniye Mosque to open at Eid el-Adha

    Restoration efforts took a full three years, and the historic site is now set to re-open for Eid El-Adha

    Saturday, 13 November 2010 12:45

    suleymaniyeThe three-year-long restoration of Istanbul’s historic Suleymaniye Mosque has been completed, and the mosque will open for prayers for Eid El-Adha.

    21 million Turkish Liras was spent by the Foundations Directorate on the restoration, and now the mosque is strong enough to withstand an earthquake registering 8 on the Richter scale

    The Suleymaniye Mosque was built during the era of Kanuni Sultan Suleyman (Suleiman the Magnificent) in 1551-1558 by the famous architect Mimar Sinan.

    Restoration efforts took a full three years, and the historic site is now set to re-open for Eid El-Adha. The General Directorate of Foundations spent TL 21 million on the project, which was overseen by Gur Construction. A 200-member team composed of architects, artists, calligraphers, art historians, restoration experts, conservators and workers have been working day and night to complete the restoration of the Suleymaniye Mosque, which is seen as the epitome of Turkish-Islamic culture.

    One positive result of the restoration is that the dome of the mosque has now been strengthened to withstand an earthquake registering 8 on the Richter scale thanks to a special cement cleansing technique used on the mosque.

    There were 256 acoustic cubes discovered in the dome of the mosque, and the restoration also uncovered original pen-work in the hanging pendants that decorate the mosque. Some missing letters from a passage from the Quran, which were penned 150 years ago into the main dome, were also replaced by a decision of the restoration board.

    Importance placed on science and technique

    Speaking about the restoration, İstanbul Foundations Director Ibrahim Ozekinci noted that great care and importance had been placed on science and technique during the renewal process on this structure, which was immediately called “magnificent” when it opened and which is considered by many to have been a gift to world architecture from Suleiman the Magnificent.

    Ozekinci noted that the structure continues to maintain its place on the World Heritage List and that as such the Foundations General Directorate had acted with great ambition and determination on this project, with the desire to see the ancient structure protected for future generations to enjoy.

    Previous restorations of the Suleymaniye Mosque occurred in 1847-1849 and in the late 1950s/early 1960s. The latest effort began in 2007, and as Ozekinci explains:

    ”As a part of this restoration, the entire Suleymaniye Mosque was examined from tip to toe. The actual work began on the domes, with complete replacing of the leading; following this, a team from Istanbul Technical University worked using simulation techniques to determine whether or not the dome was earthquake proof. Then we discovered that the mosque could in fact withstand earthquakes of up to 8 on the Richter scale. There were some small cracks in the domes, which were strengthened. The outside of the mosque was cleaned and protectants put on.”

    Cement cleansing

    Ozekinci explained one of the most important techniques used in the restoration was the cement cleansing part. He said: “We saw with sadness that in the restoration done in the 1960s, there was cement used rather than the mosque’s original mortar made from lime and brick.

    Perhaps that was all right for that time, but various analyses, tests and reports indicate that stone structures that have cement placed on top of them do not do well, as moisture and salting problems emerge. So the cement was removed, and finding the correct combination of ‘khorasson’ or lime and brick mortar, we applied this to the structure, and then did our decorative work. The mosque can finally breathe.”

    Speaking more about the effort to rid this historic structure of its cement, Ozekinci said: ”We did not renew the Suleymaniye Mosque. Ours was a very serious project including conservators, restoration experts, architects and art historians. What was important here was to be able to restore according to the original structure of the mosque. We did not renew, but instead protected and worked according to historical needs and information. In these types of structures, it is vital that they do not lose their historical characteristics. Future generations must be able to see and read these structures for what they are and understand what their various eras have been. So our restoration was really a protective effort that stayed true to the essence of this mosque.”

    256 cubes found in dome

    Ozekinci noted that some interesting aspects of the mosque had been re-discovered during restorative efforts. For instance, he said, the mosque’s main dome was found to have 256 symmetrically placed cubes measuring 15 centimeters around the front and 45 centimeters in length.

    He explained: ”The acoustics in Suleymaniye Mosque are truly incredible. Mimar Sinan used these symmetrically placed cubes with hollow insides to achieve this superior level of acoustics.” ozekinci also noted the team found much original calligraphic work and that some of the finds were very exciting for both the scientific and art worlds. He also said that the original tiles in the elephant legs had been found after many years.

    Noting that the three-year-long restoration was about to come to an end, Ozekinci said the mosque would be opening during the Eid El-Adha next week and that it would be ready for people coming to pray. Ozekinci also said the surrounding grounds would be next on the docket for restorative efforts and that after permission was received, this aspect of the project would begin.

    CHA