F.P. Report
CHARSADDA: With only four days left in EidulFitre celebrations, the demands of traditional jiggery (gur) made Rajjar sweets and CharsaddaChappal have increased manifold in city markets and shopping malls artistically decorated by shopkeepers to get maximum profits ahead of Eid. Charsadda’s famous Rajar sweet and handmade leather CharsaddaChappal have great attraction for customers these days being sold like hot cake on eve of EidulFitr festivity.
On Friday, people from Mardan, Khyber, Mohmand, Bajaur, Nowshera, Kohat and others districts were seen in large number on its stalls in Peshawar and Charsadda districts where great interest were showed by Eid shoppers in these locally made products. Majority of sweet shops and Chappal stores in Peshawar were flooded with Rajar sweets and CharsaddaChappal during last days of Ramadan, attracting customers mostly youth, children and women in abundance.
The shopkeepers made huge investment by purchasing huge stocks of these items at their outlets to cater consumers’ high demands for this Eid. CharsaddaChappal has made deep inroads into Pakthoons culture being preferred by all social class due to varieties of its colorful designs, hardness and leather durability. Waqar Khan, a resident of Dir district said CharsaddaChappal is my favorite item for Eid because of its durability, less costly and prepared of leather.
In local market, it is being sold at Rs2500-3000 per footwear and every person can afford it, adding it would be better if Provincial Government regulate this business by fixing its rate. In addition to all countries of Pakistan, Charsadda and PeshawariChappal is being exported to foreign countries like UK, GULF, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UEA, Europe, Afghanistan and Russia due to its colourful designs and quality leather.
The shopkeepers said a single pair passes through six stages of skilled hands to become a finished product. In the first step, sole of the chappal is made flattened with rubber piece whereas in the second stage, a piece of leather is sewn and then fitting of piece with the sole is done in the third and fourth stage respectively. The pair is stuffed with a wooden piece to stretch and fix all the nails, leather and thread placed together to get the shoe adjusted in the fifth.
In sixth stage, finishing touches are given to a piece which includes polishing and varnishing to improve pair’s look while artisans also paints its border with a selected chemical for a long lasting shine. Musawair Khan, a local shoemaker said they are working in double shifts till Sehri besides increasing number of skilled workers to meet the placed orders for Eid.
CharsaddaChappal is main center of attractions of people in festive parties like engagements and wedding ceremonies in Khyber Pakthunkhwa with ShalwarQameez. This footwear is no longer confined to any specific culture or age group and being loved by all social class to give more colour to festivities. Rajjar sweet is also attracting people and shopkeepers in abundance these days. “I have brought 500 kilograms Rajar sweet from Charsadda last Wednesday keeping in view of its high demands of people for this Eid and sold 300 kilogram so far,” Ali Khan, a local sweet dealer told APP.
He said low sugar contents and delicious quality of this sweet differentiate it from rest of sweets in local markets. “I belong to second generation that is running this sweet shop and the people can also easily afford Rajar sweet as one kilogram is being sold on Rs 250-300 in local market.” “I purchased 20KG Rajar sweet including eight KG for my married sister and aunt as special Eid gift,” Sajid Khan, a government employee of Nowsehra district told APP at Hasthnagri.
“I personally like Rajar sweet as it is prepared from milk and Gur with low sugar content making more delicious taste and free of adulteration.” He said Pakistan can earn valuable foreign exchange by exporting Rajar sweet and Charsadda Chappal to international markets and through better marketing by involving foreign missions.
