Skip to main content

Soaking up the Eid-ul-Fitr mood

Today is the last Sunday before Eid-ul-Fitr or Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, as Malaysians call it, which is likely to fall on September 10, this year.

Eid-ul-Fitr is the first day of Shawwal, which marks the end of Ramadan, the ninth and holiest month of the Islamic calendar.

This is the day Muslims celebrate the end of fasting and "thank Allah for the help and strength that he gave them throughout the previous month to help them practise self-control".

For some Muslims in Malaysia preparation for the day of rejoicing started early.

Many wives and mothers did their Raya shopping, as we name it in Malaysia, about a month before Ramadan began while others prefer to do it later.

Land Public Transport Commission chief operating officer Shahril Mokhtar window-shopped two days after the start of the fasting month to "check out the prices" and to observe the festive trends this year.

"Today is my actual day of shopping," said Shahril, who was trying skull caps for size at the Jalan Masjid India bazaar.

Sisters Siti Zulaika Mohd Sokri and Siti Marlina Mohd Sokri were also out shopping today. They go for ready-made clothes because they are cheaper than buying fabrics and getting them tailored.

Looking at the crowds out shopping, you could be forgiven for thinking that everyone has plenty of money.

Indeed, many went into the Jalan Melayu/Jalan Masjid India/Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman shopping belt to indulge in some serious shopping.

Bazaar retailers say they are not affected by the recession because they have a steady stream of regular customers.

Here are some photos I took this afternoon at the Jalan Melayu/Jalan Masjid India/Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman shopping area.

Urbanites strolling to their favourite outlets at the Jalan Masjid India bazaar. 

Siti Marlina (left) and her sister Siti Zulaika showing off their new headgear. Hari Raya will be a low-key affair for the siblings and their families.

This skull cap might fit me, says Shahril.

A smile suddenly animates Shahril's face because the skull cap fits well. He plans to browse the stores for Baju Melayu after this.

Young women flock to the henna painting stalls for an edgy Raya look. We want to look pretty for Hari Raya, they say.

Faizal Ahmad is looking for Baju Melayu and hopes he will find something suitable today.

Artificial flowers are always in season and this year's colours are white, pink and peach. People usually buy these flowers on the eve of Hari Raya.

A familiar scene at a zakat or alms giving counter set up at strategic places during Ramadan. The "compulsory giving of a set proportion of one's wealth to charity" is the Third Pillar of Islam.

Comments

Popular Posts

A spot of rural tranquillity in Ipoh

Your nerves are frayed and you need a dose of pleasingly rustic ambience without having to leave the city. There is such a spot for you, if you are in Ipoh. All you need to do is head for a block of flats called Kinta Heights in Pekan Lama, Ipoh, Perak, which is next to the Kinta River, one of the main branches of the Perak River. Unbelievable, as it may seem, there are several nasi kandar outlets and sundry shops in the vicinity, set in the greenery, with a view and a walking path. I suggest that you have lunch at Ramli Nasi Kandar and after that, take a very short walk to the river bank for your rural retreat. You might be motivated to spend 10 minutes or more in total silence and tranquillity. This is the place I go to again and again. Ramli Nasi Kandar is next to the sundry shop A short bridge to the river bank  You will feel irritated by people putting litter on the ground but I refuse to allow that to distract me. There is a 'Do not litter' notice her

Rediscovering the traditional Malaysian Indian kitchen

I love this artwork (acrylic on canvas) by Jayashree Ramasamy @Jay, who has captured the mood of the traditional Malaysian Indian kitchen. Jay recalls her grandmother preparing meals for the family in a room which was equipped with ancestral cooking utensils and that was the inspiration for this painting. For more of Jay's creations head for the National Art Gallery where 'The Story Telling' exhibition is now being held (April 14 to May 15, 2011).  'The Story Telling' is a group exhibition showcasing the creations of four emerging artists including Jay from the Symbols Art Club . The other three artists are Kathiravan Subramaniam, Rohini Indran and Mohana Kumara Velu @ Mona Kv. Each work of art is a story that the artist tells about his or her personal experiences and observations of daily life. The launch this afternoon was in conjunction with the Tamil New Year today. 'Food is Served' by Kathiravan Subramaniam. The rationale: 'We may have diff

In the waiting room

People are always waiting for something. They could be waiting for the train, an opportunity, promises to be fulfilled or the return of a loved one. But "what does waiting mean in our lives and what is life without waiting?" That question was posed by Danny Castillones Sillada in his article "What is Life without Waiting?" (The Metaphysics of Waiting). The passing of the old year demands another round of gloomy introspection and Sillada's article came at the right time, given the value of waiting in our lives. "Waiting," he explains, is "an emotional and mental state, which is preconditioned to anticipate someone or something to arrive at a particular time and place". Sillada tells us that there are two types of waiting: empirical and metaphysical. The empirical form of waiting is "where the certainty of the waited and the occurrence of event are tangibly expected to happen within a particular time and place of the waite