RAWALPINDI:The century-old tradition of decorating the entire city like a bride with colourful flags, electric lights and Islamic welcome boards on Eid Miladun Nabi (PBUH) has been dimmed by crushing inflation, expensive lights and a devastating rise in electricity prices, leading to a decline in the tradition. At the public level, decorations for Eid Milad have decreased by a record amount in streets, neighbourhoods and localities this year

Rawalpindi city and cantonment used to be decorated like a bride with colourful flags and electric lights from the beginning of Rabiul Awwal. Every year, around 4,000 small Milad committees in the city's streets and neighbourhoods used to open offices under local Milad committees, organise Milad gatherings and celebrate the occasion.

This year, the number of such committees has fallen by more than half. Many shopkeepers and citizens who used extensive lighting for Eid Milad have this year, for the most part, merely put up a few strings of colourful lights.

Several markets have still been decorated beautifully with all kinds of lighting, while some markets that used to be fully decorated by the 9th of Rabiul Awwal will be decorated on Tuesday evening. Instead of 72 hours, the lighting will continue for only 30 to 36 hours. The main reason is the record increase in electricity prices and the rising cost of colourful lights.

As soon as Rabiul Awwal began, young people and children used to spread sheets in small and large markets to collect donations for the celebrations.

This year, such children and young people have hardly been seen, except in a few places. Beautiful arches on Murree Road will also not be installed this year. Lighting has been arranged at special government buildings in Rawalpindi, while the Parks and Horticulture Authority has been strictly directed to decorate recreational parks.

Laal Kurti, Tariqabad, Dhoke Ratta, Khayaban-i-Sir Syed, Chhota Bazaar, Kohati Bazaar, Banni Chowk and the central Jamia Mosque have been decorated with excellent and exemplary lighting, making the areas look like brides. A large number of citizens and shopkeepers have installed only a few strings of lights because of expensive lighting and the record increase in electricity prices.

Colourful electric lights are being sold at stalls in the open market. A Chinese string that previously cost Rs150 now costs Rs350, while a Chinese light net costs Rs3,000 to Rs5,500.

Welcome frames range from Rs3,500 to Rs8,000. Decoration shops have also increased their rates by 50pc this year, while lighting rental charges have also gone up.

The rent for three days of decorative lights along with two or three welcome frames is Rs200,000, excluding electricity expenses. President of Milad Committee Dhoke Ilahi Bakhsh Chaudhry Imran and secretary Hafiz Sajid Khan demanded that electricity rates for lighting during Eid Milad be reduced by 50pc and the prices of lighting strings also be lowered. They said the more expensive the lights became, the more celebrations would decline.

No citizen or government employee could now install expensive lighting on the roof of a house, either on rent or by purchasing it, with electricity rates also so high.