A cyberpal from across the continent ask me what I had for Bukak Puasa. Well, down here we Buka Puasa and not Bukak Puasa. Well, that is the beauty of the Malay language, you pronounce it differently but the meaning remain the same. Like the word Belacan, on the east coast State of Terengganu it is Belacang. So it is like that with language. The Kelantanese speak Malay so different in that if you are not use to it, it would baffled you for a while. So as to get to the true meaning of what they are saying you have to listen carefully or ask them to do it in standard Malay. Anyway that is the nature of things as far as communicative language is concern. Here I am Pak Idrus, in Terengganu or the east coast part of Pahang it would be Pok Idrus. Just like this blogger is well known as Pok Ku. That's what made the spoken language so colorful.
Well, coming back to the subject of Buka Puasa. It is the first meal you get after fasting all day long. You have not eaten or drinking from the time of sunrise to the time of sundown. The number of hours depend where you are fasting or the time of the year. If you are fasting in winter in the northern atmosphere then the time of fasting is short but if it is in Summer it would be a long day. Anyway fasting is only in the day time and at night you are forbidden to fast. So as soon as the sun set and the call for the Magrib prayer is heard, you must break the fast and start to eat and drink. That is what we call Buka Pusa.
My ritual is like this, nothing special. It is like the normal day except that dinner is the first meal of the day. This first meal is fixed at just after the Azan for the Magrib Prayer. With that I would take my place at the table and together wtih my spouse would break the fast. I start with having some Dates and a glass of cold sweet drink. The drink could be just an Ice lemon tea or Orange Juice or a rose syrup. Anything that is sweet is good enough for me. With that first food and drink you can feel that you are getting the energy back and would felt afresh. I do this slowly and then would take a break to do the Magrib prayer, which just take about five minutes. After the prayer I then again sat at the table and continue with the second phase of my breaking fast dinner. My dinner would be of what Nenek [my spouse] put on the table. I have decided long ago to leave her alone as far as deciding on the menu of the day is concern. She did very well indeed in preparing food for the table whether it is for the normal day or during the fasting month. Except now that we have grandchildren, sometime these kids would rang her up and request for this and that dishes. And believe me she enjoyed to do whatever those grand kids requested. It is one of those things that grandma love to do and enjoying doing it. As for me after more then forty years of marriage we began to think alike in most things. So whatever she put on the table would be perfect for me.
My second phase of breaking fast is to eat rice with whatever prepared for the day. It could be any of these dishes. Asam Pedas Ikan, Kari Ayam, Masak lemak cili padi, Daging goreng berlada, Ayam goreng belada, Ikan Cencaru Goreng berlada, Ikan Kembong/Bawal Goreng, Ikan Masin Goreng, Telor Masin and other foods plus the usual mixed vegetables. We have done away with Sambal Belacan for health reason. In those days we are never without Sambal Belacan. But with age catching up you have eventually to give up some of the foods or appetisers that you love like the Sambal Belacan. For an after dinner snack we sometime have Bubur Kacang, Pengat Pisang or Bubor Jagong. Having such snack is not a normal thing in our home. Of course fruits that are in market are also part of the dinner spreads.
After enjoying my breaking fast dinner I would take time to just relax and watch the TV and then would drive to the local mosque to do the Isyak Prayer as well as the Trawih Prayer. Trawih Prayer is a congregation prayer that is only done during the Fasting Month. The Trawih Prayer in today's term is actually a sort of a social get together and a recreation in the evening after going through a whole day of fasting. By nine thirty the Trawih Prayer is completed and I would be back at home. And that my friends complete my day of fasting.
Well, coming back to the subject of Buka Puasa. It is the first meal you get after fasting all day long. You have not eaten or drinking from the time of sunrise to the time of sundown. The number of hours depend where you are fasting or the time of the year. If you are fasting in winter in the northern atmosphere then the time of fasting is short but if it is in Summer it would be a long day. Anyway fasting is only in the day time and at night you are forbidden to fast. So as soon as the sun set and the call for the Magrib prayer is heard, you must break the fast and start to eat and drink. That is what we call Buka Pusa.
My ritual is like this, nothing special. It is like the normal day except that dinner is the first meal of the day. This first meal is fixed at just after the Azan for the Magrib Prayer. With that I would take my place at the table and together wtih my spouse would break the fast. I start with having some Dates and a glass of cold sweet drink. The drink could be just an Ice lemon tea or Orange Juice or a rose syrup. Anything that is sweet is good enough for me. With that first food and drink you can feel that you are getting the energy back and would felt afresh. I do this slowly and then would take a break to do the Magrib prayer, which just take about five minutes. After the prayer I then again sat at the table and continue with the second phase of my breaking fast dinner. My dinner would be of what Nenek [my spouse] put on the table. I have decided long ago to leave her alone as far as deciding on the menu of the day is concern. She did very well indeed in preparing food for the table whether it is for the normal day or during the fasting month. Except now that we have grandchildren, sometime these kids would rang her up and request for this and that dishes. And believe me she enjoyed to do whatever those grand kids requested. It is one of those things that grandma love to do and enjoying doing it. As for me after more then forty years of marriage we began to think alike in most things. So whatever she put on the table would be perfect for me.
My second phase of breaking fast is to eat rice with whatever prepared for the day. It could be any of these dishes. Asam Pedas Ikan, Kari Ayam, Masak lemak cili padi, Daging goreng berlada, Ayam goreng belada, Ikan Cencaru Goreng berlada, Ikan Kembong/Bawal Goreng, Ikan Masin Goreng, Telor Masin and other foods plus the usual mixed vegetables. We have done away with Sambal Belacan for health reason. In those days we are never without Sambal Belacan. But with age catching up you have eventually to give up some of the foods or appetisers that you love like the Sambal Belacan. For an after dinner snack we sometime have Bubur Kacang, Pengat Pisang or Bubor Jagong. Having such snack is not a normal thing in our home. Of course fruits that are in market are also part of the dinner spreads.
After enjoying my breaking fast dinner I would take time to just relax and watch the TV and then would drive to the local mosque to do the Isyak Prayer as well as the Trawih Prayer. Trawih Prayer is a congregation prayer that is only done during the Fasting Month. The Trawih Prayer in today's term is actually a sort of a social get together and a recreation in the evening after going through a whole day of fasting. By nine thirty the Trawih Prayer is completed and I would be back at home. And that my friends complete my day of fasting.
4 comments:
Pak Idrus,
From my humble opinion I would say we Kelantanese dont actually speak a different dialect, its just the slang and the short cut to the same words that confuse people into believing that we speak another dialect.
Look at this sentence:
Hendak pergi kemana?
To a Kelantanese the sentece will be:
Nak gi mano?
The basic words are the same only how it is pronounced. We are just too lazy to pronounce the whole word.
Those food that you mentioned will make all persons who fast to drool the whole day till fast is broken.
As to day to day routine not much difference everywhere I guess. Only variations is whether you take the main diner immediately after breaking fast. Those who have the experience of fasting in Mecca or Medina, break fast is quite light and dinner is after the maghrib prayers.
Being a retiree and a committed blogger of course we wont forget the main activity of blogging to fill up the time. :).
zawi, thanks for the visit and those kind words. The explanation of the uses of language is most appreciated. It is the differences in the pronounces that made the language more dynamic and colorful.
When I was growing up in Kuantan, there are no such word as Satu, It is Se. In fact Se like Nak, Gi are a better vocab, since it is only of single syllable like English, One or Mandarin, Yap. It actually safe storage space. Whereas Satu is Sa Tu [two syllable] and One, Two is just one syllable. So as you can see the original word is more scientific word then the one we use in standard Malay. Have a nice day.
Salam Pak Idrus,
Feel like I am visiting my father here. I wished my ayah would have a blog like this for him to write all his experiences, wonderful stories, all his hopes and dreams. He is 69 and occupies his time gardening at the surau.
Ok Pak Idrus, just wanna drop by and say keep on writing, and sharing with us your everyday stories. I would come back and pay you a visit again, that's for sure.
Take care!
wiz, thanks for the visit and the kind words. I tried to get people of my age group to blog and had not been really successful. A few start blogging and like me enjoy doing it. Well at this age we should be doing what we like best.
Your dad choose gardening at the surau, that is indeed a noble way of contributing to the society. As for me other then blogging I do gardening as well.
Blogging is indeed a godsend tool for me who dream of writing a book. Maybe one of these days I would realized my dream. In the mean time I shall blog and hope that other who visit my blog enjoy reading it.
Have a nice day and take care.
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