CAIRO: Many consider the Ramadan lantern, or fanous Ramadan, to be a thing of the past, perhaps only used to decorate restaurants and large hotels to mark the arrival of the holy month.
A visit to the Taht El Reba’ area in Bab El Khalq is enough to prove that the traditional lantern is as popular as ever.
The area expands from Bab El Khalq to El Ghoriya in Al Azhar district.
In Ramadan both sides of the road connecting Bab El Khalq with Al Ghouriya are teeming with fanous outlets, selling different types and sizes of lanterns that range from traditional to Chinese. The more unique designs are the result of Egyptian artisans’ inventiveness.
Before the start of Ramadan, people from all over Cairo visit the area to pick up a lantern. Celebrities also frequent the place late at night to purchase their very own fanous.
Sizes vary from as small as the palm of your hand to five-meter-high, with prices anywhere between LE 5 and LE 5,000.
“The trader who says he doesn’t make money from selling the fanous in Ramadan would be lying, says Ahmed Shaker, who owns a shop that specializes in producing fawanees or lanterns.
“We start manufacturing the new season’s lanterns two or three months before the beginning of Ramadan. We also bring out from storage what was left over from the previous season. This has to be done before we start buying materials for the new line. Don’t underestimate the cost. The iron sheets and glass used to make the fanous have become very expensive, he said.
The market has always been dominated by the traditional fawanees, which are made of the silvery metal and colorful glass.
Over the past few years, however, the market has been saturated by Chinese-made plastic lanterns decorated with shiny ribbons that play music and light up with different colors.
“I should admit to the fact that we were initially appalled by the competition, said Ahmed Ratib, brandishing six big lanterns he created himself, made of smooth and shiny tin and glass. Each cost LE 600.
“Because of the invasion of the Chinese merchandise, two important things happened: the local fanous makers started to improve their products. I can confidently tell you that people are back to buying the traditional lanterns. Moreover, the fanous makers reacted by producing their own Chinese-style fawanees.
Walking two steps further, you will see that Ratib’s words are true as you come across several stands that sell these fawanees. “I swear these are Egyptian lanterns, exclaimed Haj Mahdi Ali, who exhibited heavily-ornamented, revolving lanterns with flashing lights.
“What’s difficult about it? said Ali. “We can copy the Chinese in the same way they copy us, but these ornaments are expensive and the majority of people here think in terms of cost.
“Each of these pieces is sold for no less than LE 50, and apart from cost, other people prefer the traditional fanous or slight variations of it.
“I am for our fanous, said Amer Rashid. “I buy a big one every year to hang on our balcony. Usually it gets broken by the end of the month. You can’t really do anything about it. Every year I prefer to come and buy a new one rather than use last year’s.
The vendors were initially worried because the Ramadan season coincided with the start of the school year, but as the month progresses, more people are coming to buy their own fanous.
“I know schools are on but I can’t disappoint the children. I came to buy one for each, said Hany Samy, a father of three.
