Luxor celebrates equestrian Moulid Aboul Gomsan, boasts horsemanship, traditions

CAIRO – 27 March 2022: Upper Egyptians resumed Moulid Sheikh Aboul Gomsan in Gurna, a city on the western bay of Luxor, after halting it for years due to Covid-19. The traditional event is mainly equestrian, where horsemanship skills and races are held.

The events kicked off on Saturday and will last until Monday. It is organized yearly during the last 10 days of Shabaan, the month preceding Ramadan in the Islamic calendar.

Many Egyptian cities have their own shrines, which locals organize moulids (birthdays) for the “godly man”, or “saint” buried there, and visit his shrine for blessings. Aboul Gomsan’s shrine is located amongst ancient Egyptian temples and tombs.

 

Riders race and dance with the horses as they are trained to dance to music while their riders are on. Riders also do tahtib, where they simulate a fight with wooden batons while on their horses or on the ground. Tahtib is a tradition inherited from ancient Egyptians.

 

Riders wear the traditional Upper Egyptian galabiya during the event and lucky tourists come to Egypt during Moulid Aboul Gomsan, which is attended by thousands of locals and foreigners.