by Burak Akinci
ANKARA, April 10 (Xinhua) -- As Muslims across the globe are celebrating Eid al-Fitr, Turks beset by high inflation found there is little cheer left to embrace the end of the holy month of Ramadan, with the tradition of enjoying a sumptuous "sugar feast" becoming unaffordable, much to their regret.
Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of a month-long fasting period, is commonly known as "Seker Bayram" in Türkiye, which means "Sugar Feast," and starts on Wednesday this year.
This year, the Turkish government has extended the three-day Eid celebration to nine days, including the weekends before and after, to boost domestic tourism.
The appellation is said to have existed since the 18th century. Sweets play a prominent part in the festivities as families send confections and pastries to friends, neighbors, and family members to cherish the sense of togetherness.
People usually clean their houses the day before the festival starts and then go shopping for candies and chocolates.
In the bustling historic Ulus bazaar of Ankara, Türkiye's capital city, thousands of people attempted to purchase household essentials for the festival.
"Our prices are affordable, but the purchasing power of customers is low. They buy very limited amounts of candy, like half a kilo for a family of five," Ertan Ozturk, a candy vendor, told Xinhua.
"Compared to last year, we have fewer clients and business this year," he lamented, adding, "Inflation is very bad and people cannot afford anything."
This seller added that, due to rising prices, his profit margin had dropped considerably.
During the feast, it is also important to honor the elderly, therefore the younger generation visits the older ones. In addition, children often go around in their neighborhood, from door to door, and wish people a happy feast for which they receive candies or pocket money.
Turkish people also visit graves on the first day of the festival to offer prayers and remember their ancestors.
It is also customary to wear new clothes during Eid, but Sermin Akyol, a newly married bank clerk, told Xinhua that she had only purchased the "bare minimum" and could only hunt for Eid dresses if her budget permits.
"It's not as exciting as previous years ... but we will still enjoy this festival," she said while shopping for holiday attire in the commercial Kizilay district.
Living conditions in Türkiye are challenging as the country is facing an issue of rising consumer prices.
Despite the government's efforts to reduce costs, the blow of increasing prices is felt more by the poor and middle-class population.
Pointing to price tags displayed on a clothing store window, Akyol added, "I'll have to cut back on shopping for myself and family members."
Official data published on April 3 showed that the annual inflation rate increased to 68.5 percent in March, up from 67.1 percent the previous month.
According to the government's forecasts, inflation will peak at over 70 percent this summer before decelerating sharply to around 40 percent at the end of the year.
Following the release of the data, Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek said recent monetary and fiscal tightening would help anchor inflation expectations and support disinflation.
However, consumers and most businesses are becoming increasingly impatient.
"The cost-of-living crisis is Türkiye's number one problem, and people are very unhappy about it," said Mustafa Yuksel, manager of a jewelry shop in the Ulus marketplace.
He explained that people are now struggling to afford even the essentials for the feast, unlike before.
"We, as jewelers, feel the sting of this issue because when people receive their wages, they only think about buying essential food items and nothing else," the trader added. ■
