Kodak Agfa Presents : Back to El-Sayida Zeinab Ramadan Market

I know that Ramadan is packing up its bags and is going to leave us within hours but it is never too late to share those couple of photos with you guys.
If you want to have a glimpse of the true spirit of the Holy Month of Ramadan in Egypt, you do not go to upscale neighbourhoods but rather working-class neighbourhoods
If you want to have a glimpse of how local markets celebrate the holy month then there is no better than El-Sayida Zeinab make-shift Ramadan market.

El-Sayida Zeinab's minaret overlooking the make-shift market 

This was not the first time to visit the most famous market when it comes to the Ramadan Lanterns but it was the first time for me to visit the market during Ramadan.
I visited it in 2016 just one night before Ramadan and it was a great experience for me breaking a lot of barriers to me as a shy photographer.

Now According to the sellers, the market got fewer visitors and customers during Ramadan than before Ramadan which is logic if you think about it.

A customer checking the lanterns 

This is the fourth year for Egypt to ban the import of Chinese-made Ramadan lanterns.
In an attempt to preserve the tradition handmade industry of Ramadan lanterns, the government issued a ministerial decree in 2015 to ban the Chinese plastic Ramadan lanterns.

The famous handmade Egyptian traditional lantern 

In 2019, I can say that the Ramadan lantern market is controlled by Egyptian made Ramadan lanterns starting with the traditional-tin glass lantern to the popular wooden lanterns to the Plastic lanterns.

A seller of traditional tin-glass lanterns 

I noticed this year that there are Egyptian plastic Ramadan lanterns that no only flashlight but also can play Ramadan songs just like Chinese-made lanterns.

A mix of wooden and plastic lanterns as fully plastic lanterns 

I also noticed that those lanterns were made in Mounfia governorate, Nile Delta not in Cairo like traditional tin-glass lanterns.
The wooden lanterns continue to become an affordable and safer choice for families that want something safe and cheap for their children.

Checking various models of wooden lanterns 

The price of the wooden lanterns starts LE 10 and goes up till LE 100.
The original traditional handmade tin-glass lantern is still the most expensive as well as the most beautiful too.

The original Egyptian traditional glass-tin lantern 

What is the most popular type of lantern in 2019?
According to one of the lanterns vendors, it is any lantern with the photo of Mohamed Salah on it.

A Mohamed Salah wooden Khayamia style small lantern 

“May God protect Salah for us,” The vendor said when I asked him.
You can see Salah drawn on the big glass-tin traditional handmade lantern which is quite expensive.

Zoom in to see Salah's bigger glass-tin lanterns 

Salah was not only featured on Ramadan Lanterns but his dolls were sold too.
His manager, Ramy Abbas could have a heart attack on how his star’s image is used back home without any royalties !!
Despite the Chinese-made Egyptian-traditional-shaped lanterns yet other Chinese plastic toys that sold as lanterns made their way to the market eventually.

The Chinese toys/lanterns 

They are officially registered as toys, not as lanterns yet they are not popular because, in the end, they do not look like Ramadan lanterns.
Yes, they move around with flashing lights blasting Ramadan songs but as Robots or Hello Kitty.
There are toys that are sold as toys like dolls and because we are in Ramadan, those dolls are veiled and called Mariam !!

Mariam doll 

I mean China is giving hell to the Muslim Uighur women for wearing a veil and yet it exports to us veiled dolls.

Aside from the traditional lanterns and toys, there is a new merchandise that is gaining popularity in the Holy Month: Ramadan decorations.

It seems that it became a staple item for Egyptian families regardless of their classes.
The famous Al-Khayamia’s motifs with its different colours especially Red became in Ramadan just like Christmas trees in Christmas.
Al-Khayamia’s famous red colour tablecloth became something essential. I saw first hand how women buy at the market directly tablecloth from kiosks with prices cheaper than in the usual shops.

Ramadan decorations from every type and kind 

The market does not sell only Al-Khayamia’s tablecloths only but rather a whole range of decoration items as well as Al-Khayamia’s Ramadan lanterns.
There are tables and short chairs covered with Al-Khayamia’s famous cloth.

Ramadan Khayamia decorations

The motifs changed from the traditional Khayamia patterns to patterns featuring famous TV actors as well children puppets associated with the Holy Ramadan in Egypt like cartoon character Bakkar and Egyptian legendary comedian Fouad el-Mohandes.
There are Bogy and Tamtam puppets stickers, there are the glittery versions of those stickers too.

Bogy glittery stickers 

There are also plushy Bogy and Tamtam dolls locally made in Egypt and this honestly makes me happy. There are different sizes of them.

Tamtam plushy dolls 

I feel jealous that they were not available in my childhood.

Snapping a photo with Tamtam dolls 

Of course, forget about the copyright royalties.
Now comparing to the market in 2016, there are fewer lanterns and more other stuff and they are mostly related to food and kitchen.

Just like in 2016, dates which are essential Ramadan food items along with Ramadan dried fruits.

The dried fruits street vendor stand 

There were ongoing discussions between the sellers and customers who are looking for something cheaper but good at the same time especially that many of those items like dried raisins are imported.

Discussing price with dates vendors 

I saw this year handmade pottery pots in the market.

The pottery pots vendor and his stand in the market 

There were also kitchen plastic items and I bet that they were sold for cheaper prices than in stores.

Kitchen plastic items stand in the market 

Islamic rosaries were sold too as in the end we are speaking about a holy month that believers should spend in worshiping not in fasting and breakfasting.

Islamic rosaries stand in the market 

Second hand and smuggled old clothes mostly Chinese were sold in the market at its end, it is another new addition.

The second-hand clothes vendor looking anxiously to the policeman as he passed by 

I could not take a better photo for the clothes vendor because the policemen began to show up and the kid started to move his merchandise because unlike other vendors in the market, it seems that he got no permit and was standing illegally.

The market during the breakfast or Iftar hosts a big Rahman Banquet for the poor and those who have got to break their fasting in the street for free as an act for charity.

After breakfast, the banquet tables and chairs are put away till the next day.

Something caught their attention 

You can see the chairs of the banquet here in the photo whereas after Iftar popular Hummus El-Sham drink is sold by lady vendor.

Yes, Egyptians drink something made of Hummus and I won’t share because enough is enough and Hummus is humiliated enough in the West.

Anyhow, I hope you like the photos and share them along with the post. May you have a blessed Ramadan and Happy Eid to the whole universe.