People visit Souq el Mina at the Mina District on the first day of Ramadan. Pic: Joelyn Baluyut/The Peninsula
Doha: The Old Doha Port, home to Mina District, Box Park and the Cruise Terminal, has become one of the country’s most popular destinations since its opening ahead of the World Cup last year.
This Ramadan, it gives a taste of the olden times, from setting up a 'Souq el Mina' to reviving the 'msahar' or someone who wakes people up before Suhoor in Ramadan. The Peninsula visited Mina District on Friday, the first day of Ramadan, and witnessed an inflow of visitors to the area where over 80 exhibitors gathered to present their products ranging from food, apparel, accessories, and traditional clothing.
The Souq el Mina offers another venue for businesses to promote their products and services to visitors to the district. “We expect a lot of people to come here on the weekend because it’s their off day,” said Aysha, an exhibitor. “The Souq is an excellent platform for us to interact with the customers face to face.”
Another exhibitor, Salem, said that the first edition of the Souq el Mina brings together various industries in one location. “We’re in the beverage industry, and on the first day of Ramadan, we witnessed a lot of families coming here to enjoy the cool weather while having a cup of tea or coffee.”
Apart from a variety of shopping selections for the general public at the souq, an open majlis or sitting area where people meet and converse has been set up in almost every corner of the area so people may relax after shopping or simply sit while sipping their favourite drink.
A tent with people, dressed in traditional Arab attire, sing and dance is also an attraction at the souq.
If you see six men dressed in traditional clothes and carrying drums walking around the Doha Port, they are called ‘Msahar or Msaharati’.
Their primary role was to travel around the neighbourhood with a drum and wake people up at night to remind them of the Suhoor, or meal before sunrise. The Msahar start roaming the port at 10:30pm daily during Ramadan.
“It’s nice to observe firsthand this sort of culture even if we are in the digital era,” Sarah from the Philippines remarked after witnessing a group of Msahar. “And I believe that restoring or honouring such a custom is crucial for us because we must constantly acknowledge the past.”
The Old Doha Port will also hold a daily traditional cannon firing at the garden opposite Box Park, Ghabga, and art programmes for kids, including pottery painting and other artistic activities throughout Ramadan.
