Children taking part in Garangao activities. (File picture)
From an ancient heritage invented by grandparents to encourage children to fast in the blessed month of Ramadan to a massive popular celebration that young and old await annually, this is how Garangao [celebrated tonight] transformed in Qatar and all GCC countries.
Garangao is a celebration held by Qatari and Gulf families on the night of the half of Ramadan in honour of the children and to reward them for completing the fasting of half of the holy month, and to encourage them to continue and persevere in fasting.
After two years of absence due to the COVID-19 precautionary measures, this year comes amid great preparations for the return of the celebration to its previous era, and the joy of the children again.
Regarding the reason for naming “The Night of Garangao”, Maryam Jassim Al Khulaifi, former expert in cultural research and studies at the Ministry of Culture, said in a statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the Garangao means knocking on the door, as well as mixed various types of nuts and sweets, noting that it is also derived from “knock” that is, the sound resulting from hitting pots and baskets containing nuts and sweets.
The celebration of Garangao is not limited to Qatar only, but the entire Gulf community is involved in this celebration.
Children go out in groups after breakfast, carrying bags, roaming to nearby houses, and knocking on doors in order to fill the bags with various kinds of sweets and nuts which is specially prepared by families a few days before this occasion, while chanting: “Garangao Girga oh, give us sweets, may God give you more, and send you to the House in Makkah. Oh Noor, with the gold necklace, give us from the blessings of God, may he bless your child Abdullah.”
A few days before the half of Ramadan, major stores seek to show their goods from nuts and decorations, while the designers compete to attract mothers by tailoring the clothes for this night, and they present attractive offers in this regard.
The celebration is no longer for families only, but government and private institutions hold major celebrations on this occasion, to make Doha a ‘heritage oasis’ on this night, in an effort to celebrate this ancient folklore.
Institutions celebrate the event by distributing gifts to employees, or holding celebrations in its headquarters that are dedicated to families, where children are the stars of this night.
Abdulaziz Al Bohashem Al Sayed, a researcher in folklore, said in a similar statement to QNA that Garangao is an occasion that comes in the middle of the holy month of Ramadan, and it has been inherited since ancient times, in which children rejoice, as they roam in streets, and the families prepare for this happy night all the delicious nuts and sweets, all mixed in large baskets, and prepared a few days ago in order to make children happy, in honour and reward for them for completing the fasting of half-month of Ramadan.
He noted that in recent years the celebration of Garangao has become more widespread, as some institutions participate in this occasion, and distribute Garangao to children in different ways through festivals, both in Katara Cultural Village, or in some other cultural and social institutions, just as people gather in their homes and celebrate.
Al Khulaifi said that a group of institutions and companies adopted the participation and celebration of this occasion in various places in the State of Qatar, such as markets and malls, and tourist places, such as Katara, The Pearl, Corniche and Souq Waqif.
The two researchers called for preserving Garangao heritage, considering it as a beautiful heritage that brings joy to children, and contributes to providing them with ancient folk skills, as well as introducing community members to the past of this celebration and its value to Qatari society.
They stressed that during this night, young people are encouraged to practice this traditional custom by reviving it every year in the middle of the blessed month of Ramadan, to urge children to complete the fast until the end of this holy month.
