Prayer Equipment Merchants Flourish in Citayam Ahead of Eid
DEPOK — Rows of white prayer caps are neatly arranged on simple wooden frames along Citayam Main Road in Depok on Thursday (12 March 2026). Above them, turbans, prayer mats and long Islamic shirts are displayed and hung with raffia string to catch the attention of passing motorists and pedestrians. These simple stalls line the roadside, utilising pavement space to attract potential customers.
Such stalls have become a common sight approaching Eid al-Fitr, making it easier for residents to purchase prayer equipment without visiting shops or shopping centres. The Ramadan period through to Eid represents an ideal trading opportunity, as many people seek new prayer equipment.
“This is the right moment because many people are looking for new prayer equipment. So I take advantage of the Ramadan period right up to before Eid to set up a stall,” said one vendor, Alwan, speaking to Kompas.com on Thursday. Before attempting to open a roadside stall, Alwan previously sold goods travelling to various Islamic celebration events, including the Prophet’s Birthday.
“I try to find a fairly busy location where more people might pass through,” he explained. Alwan begins opening his stall around ten days after Ramadan starts, as this is typically when people begin searching for prayer equipment in preparation for Eid. “It’s reasonably profitable, especially by late afternoon until evening when things usually get busy,” he said.
According to Alwan, amongst the various goods sold, prayer caps and sarongs are the most frequently purchased products. Daily customer numbers vary, but there are usually regular buyers. “There are always customers every day, around ten people. They buy a mix of things—some buy prayer caps, some buy sarongs, sometimes they also buy long shirts together,” he explained.
Items sold at his stall have quite varied pricing. For sarongs, for example, he sells one brand for 150,000 rupiah. “Prices range from 25,000 to around 50,000 rupiah. The black prayer cap style is also quite sought after,” he said. For long Islamic shirts and turbans, Alwan also offers several options at relatively affordable prices. “Long shirts average around 130,000 rupiah, while turbans average around 85,000 rupiah,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Sumardi appears busy arranging prayer caps stacked at his stall on the pavement about 100 metres from Citayam Market. Prayer caps of various styles and colours are arranged in rows along the roadside, whilst several plastic bags containing other merchandise are placed beside them. He appears focused on neatly arranging the prayer caps displayed in layers to make them easily visible to passing customers.
Sumardi said he has been engaged in this business for quite some time, capitalising on the Ramadan momentum through to the pre-Eid period to sell prayer equipment along the roadside. “I’ve been doing this for a reasonably long time—about five years now,” he told Kompas.com on Thursday. During Ramadan, Sumardi opens his stall from morning until night to serve customers arriving throughout the day. “I usually start selling from the beginning of Ramadan. During Ramadan, I open my stall around 8.00 a.m. until evening,” he said.
According to Sumardi, customers visiting his stall come from various backgrounds. However, one customer group that frequently visits is Islamic boarding school students.