Eid Celebrations in Istanbul: A Fascination for European Explorers

For European explorers, the Ottoman Empire was a realm of fascination and discovery, offering a unique cultural mosaic waiting to be unravelled. As they ventured into this unfamiliar territory, they were greeted by a vibrant and diverse society, unlike anything they had experienced before.

One of the most striking aspects of Ottoman life was the way people dressed. Europeans marvelled at the colourful and elaborate attire worn by the locals, which stood in stark contrast to the more subdued fashion of their homelands. This, along with the rich collage of customs and traditions, captivated their attention and inspired them to document their experiences.

Among the many customs that intrigued European travellers was the observance of Ramadan. The fasting period and the subsequent Eid that marked its end were topics of great interest and found their way into the writings of almost every European who visited Istanbul during this time.

The allure of the Ottoman Empire extended beyond its cultural offerings. The geographical landscape, particularly of Istanbul, was a treasure trove of new experiences. Improved transportation facilities made it easier for Europeans to explore this exotic land, leading to a surge in visitors from across the continent, especially in the 18th century.

European travellers approached their observations with a keen eye, meticulously recording their findings in extensive literature that offered valuable insights into Ottoman life. Their writings not only served as a record of their experiences but also as a means of enticing others to follow in their footsteps and explore this fascinating world for themselves.

Today, these writings stand as proof of a bygone era, offering a glimpse into a world that has long since vanished. They provide us with a valuable source of understanding, shedding light on customs, habits, and traditions that are no longer practised but are a vital part of our shared history.

Charles White (1793-1861), an Englishman who authored the extensive three-volume work "Three Years in Constantinople, or Domestic Manners of the Turks" in 1844, found the Eid particularly intriguing during his Istanbul experience. He depicted his observations of the Eid as follows:

“Greetings and salutations in public are regulated by the strictest reserve and decorum, and it is only upon the first day of Bairam, that hands touch hands as tokens of mutual good wishes. We English might well imitate a portion of this reserve. We carry the custom of shaking hands to unmeaning lengths.”

French-born British artist and travel writer Francis Hervé (1781-1850), in his two-volume work "A Residence in Greece and Turkey", shared his thoughts about the festive atmosphere that prevailed during Eid:

"During the Ramazan, when the fast is observed from sunrise to sunset, the mosques are illuminated at night; and as soon as the hour arrives when they are allowed to satisfy their hunger and thirst, they do so rather voraciously, to compensate for the forced abstinence of the preceding and the following days. But when the Bairam comes, then all is festivity and gaiety, and each puts on his holiday apparel; and most cheerful is the appearance of the bright groups so richly attired. Perhaps some would say they dress their children rather tawdrily, but I know not anything which has a more picturesque effect than a boat filled with a Turkish family, all dressed in their costumes which they sport on feast days.."

Undoubtedly, those who included their observations in their works about Eid were not limited to just the British. American missionary Henry Otis Dwight (1843-1917) wrote: At the feast of Bairam, all the children are dressed in new clothes. Then you will see the boys dressed as major generals in the army, and perhaps crying at their mother’s skirts in the streets because they want to be carried. Girls will be dressed in red or yellow or blue silk, and together they will be found gadding about the streets and stuffing themselves with candy from morning to night for the three days of Bairam. There will be merry-go-rounds on all the squares, and horses and carriages for hire to the children on all the principal corners at a penny a ride. In fact the feast of Bairam seems to be the children’s feast almost more than it is the feast of the grown-up people.

Of course, one of the most attractive and noteworthy elements for Europeans was the Sultan's Eid parade or Bairam Alayi. The Eid parade, which was used to express the ceremony held during the Sultan’s departure from the palace with large feasts to perform the Eid prayers, to one of the Ayasofya or Sultan Ahmed mosques, attracted the attention of the British traveller and writer Anna Brassey (1839-1887), as well as many Europeans. Brassey, who gave details about this in his work titled "Sunshine and Storm in the East, or Cruises to Cyprus and Constantinople", passionately wrote about the excitement of seeing the sultan in his work. He also described the crowd that came to see the sultan:

"…As soon as he had passed we landed, mounted our horses, and went to see the crowd on shore, which was very amusing. Such a mass of carriages! I could not have believed there were so many in all Constantinople — all full of Turkish ladies, in their smartest dresses and jewels, and attended by black eunuchs on black horses, and white eunuchs on white horses. Some of them appeared to be dressed to suit the colour of their carriages, and the effect of a bright red, yellow, green, or blue carriage, lined with red, yellow, green, or blue, and the liveries of the servants outside, and the ladies' feridjees inside, all to match, was very striking. It was impossible to get about, except on the footpath, and even then only slowly, among the dense crowd, all in their holiday best.."

In her work titled "Tent and Harem: Notes of an Oriental Trip", published in 1859, Caroline Paine gave detailed information about the Eid procession in which she was among the audience. Festive processions, especially for female travellers, were included in detail in the work of Clara Erskine Clement (1834-1916).

Alexander van Millingen (1840-1915), who spent a lot of time in Istanbul and therefore had the opportunity to make good observations here, said in his work called "Constantinople": "During Ramazan and the two festival seasons of Bairam, tables are set in the houses of the wealthy classes, to which poor neighbours are made welcome. Groups of beggars gather then about the houses of the rich to receive liberal portions of pilaf, and meat stewed with vegetables, besides a present of money or some article of dress. Connected with the principal mosques of the city, there are endowed soup kitchens (imarets), at which, along with the softas and imams of the mosque, the poor of the district can obtain soup every morning, and once a week pilaf and zerde (sweetened rice, coloured yellow with saffron).

In his work titled "Constantinople: Old and New", Harrison Griswold Dwight (1875-1959) also wrote: The close of Ramazan is marked by three days of unlimited festivity. This, the lesser Bairam, is called Sheker, or sometimes Mendil Bairam — Sugar or Handkerchief Feast. Then people exchange sweets and handkerchiefs, if nothing else. It is, however, the time to tip servants and dependants, to make presents, to discharge debts, and in general to fulfil the law of the Prophet by dispensing zakaat, the surplus of one's goods. …Bairams are an occasion for paying visits. Everybody calls on everybody else, so that it Is a wonder if anybody is found at home. In the case of the Sultan, however, there is no uncertainty. On the first morning of each Bairam, he holds a great levee, which is attended by everyone of a certain rank.