Digital greetings, fading Ink: The Quiet fading of Eid card culture in Peshawar
PESHAWAR (APP): On the eve of Eidul Fitr, the streets of Peshawar glow with familiar festive energy but something deeply nostalgic is missing ie Eid Cards.
The colourful stalls once brimming with glittering Eid cards have all but vanished, replaced by the silent efficiency of smartphones and instant messages through social and digital media.
In the historic Qissa Khwani Bazaar and Liauqat Bazaar, where the aroma of tradition still lingers in the air, a quiet transformation has unfolded due to mushroom growth of digital cards.
Mohallah Jahangi, once the beating heart of Eid card printing, now hosts rows of bookshops, computer outlets, and shoe stores. The presses that once hummed day and night on eve of Eid have long fallen silent.
For decades, buying and sending Eid cards was more than a ritual rather it was an expression of affection and warmth.
Families would carefully select designs, write heartfelt messages, and send them through post, waiting days for their greetings to arrive. Today, that emotional pause has been replaced by instant digital delivery.
“People don’t have the time anymore,” says Salman Khan, a computer engineer. “With apps like WhatsApp and Facebook, you can send greetings to hundreds of people in seconds. It’s easy, quick, and affordable.”
Indeed, the rise of digital connectivity fueled by widespread 3G and 4G services has reshaped how people celebrate Eid.
Animated e-cards, customizable messages, and vibrant visuals appeal especially to younger generations who have grown up in a digital-first world.
But this convenience comes at a cost of dying Eid cards culture. In areas like Liaquat Bazaar and Karimpura Qissa Khwani, shopkeepers recalled the bustling Eid seasons of the past with a mix of pride and sadness. “We used to sell thousands of Eid cards in last days of Ramazan,” says Azeem,, a printer at Qissa Khwani. “Now, hardly anyone asks for Eid Cards.”
Many small business owners have shut down or shifted trades, unable to compete with the free and instantaneous nature of digital greetings. Others point to rising printing costs, expensive paper, and increased courier charges as additional burdens that have made traditional cards less viable.
The decline has also rippled through the local printing industry. Once sustained by large Eid orders from across the region including former tribal districts printers now struggle to stay afloat. Some cite the closure of local paper mills and dependence on supplies from Punjab as further challenges.
Amid the economic concerns, there remains a philosophical shift. “Prayers matter more than cards,” Salman said. “Instead of spending on cards, people can help those in need and share the true spirit of Eid.”
His words capture the changing priorities of a society balancing tradition with modernity.
Still, for many in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the loss feels personal. The tactile joy of opening an envelope, the scent of fresh ink, the handwritten note as these are memories now archived in the minds of an older generation.
As digital greetings continue to dominate, the story of Eid cards in Peshawar becomes more than a tale of technological change. It is a human story of livelihoods altered, traditions fading, and a culture quietly rewriting itself in pixels instead of paper.
