LAHORE - As Eid-ul-Fiter is drawing nearer, the shopping is picking up momentum with the great hustle and bustle in the Citys main bazaars and markets, which will reach the climax on Chaand Raat. The jubilant mood of young girls, women and youth is approaching on full swing and gearing up shopping. The women craze for shopping is worth seeing as the rush at shopping plazas and other markets reflects their inner thirst for shopping. Colourful Eid stalls established at various points in the provincial metropolis are offering different kinds of henna besides, cosmetics, earrings, gleaming bangles, embroidered clothes, jewellery, handbags, shoes and colourful dresses, while the shoppers are also taking keen interest in such illuminated shopping malls. A worth seeing jubilation among girls especially of colleges and universities is developing with the arrival of Eid. As Eid is almost 9 to 10 days away, the markets including Rang Mehal, Islampura, Pakki Thathi, markets of Auriga Centre, Ichhra Bazaar, Baghbanpura Bazaar and Sadar Bazaar besides Anarkali, Liberty, Main Boulevard, Model Town Link Road, Y-block Defence have been flared up with lights and rush of shoppers. Another aspect of Eid shopping as noticed is the rapid sale in Eid cards especially among young girls and boys despite the availability of the latest technology. A married couple Shahid Butt and Fatima with their six-month-old baby said they were purchasing various colourful dresses for their kid (looking very cute), as this was the only pleasure and bounty on Eid for them. The couple said they liked simplicity but Eid shopping was the demand of event. In Main Market, schoolteachers including Tehmina, Saba, Humaira, Pouline and Hira informed that they have come to purchase all the variety of colours, bangles, shoes especially stilettos as these were their favourite ones. Humaira said she would purchase different colours bangles for her family too besides for herself as they all are fond of colourful bangles. Hira showed her liking for clothes. I just love colours. I shall purchase at least two suits along with a shoe-set, bangles, henna, lipstick and a necklace, Hira spoke about her choice. While Pauline informed that in the limited salary it was almost difficult for a school teacher to meet the needs of daily life but Eid was such event, once in a year, so everyone try his best to purchase according to his resources. Nasreen Atta, 26, with her elder sister Naoreen Atta, 28, at Anarkali said they purchased three suits for each on last Eid but now they had planned to buy twelve suits on this season. Nasreen said she already had purchased six sets of bangles besides henna, earings. Eid is just round the corner and we have to do a lot of shopping, shopping and shopping, they were bursting with emotions while speaking. At the same time inflation has also marred the shopping mania among people. Riffat Iqbal, 40, said that the skyrocketing prices has broken the backbone of normal customers as it was almost impossible to purchase an ordinary suit, which is one sale between Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000. But a shopkeeper informed that as the inflation has been increased up to 50 to 60 per cent as compared to last year, so we forcibly have to increase of 60 to 70 per cent in the prices of all commodities. Yasir Islam, 23, said at a shopping plaza that no doubt 'shopping was a word specified for women but now the trend has been changed, adding now males were more eager than females and took keen interest in shopping.