Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Selamat Hari Raya [Eid Mobarak]...

It is a beautiful morning and as usual after doing the chore at the patio I took a leisure walk along the road toward the community garden. I felt that it is unusually calm with cool air blowing all over. It was just like a cool summer day in Boston but then this is Kuala Lumpur. It is so unlike the normal day, at this time with traffics rushing out of the housing estate but today it is different in that city folks have already left and got out of the city of what we folks here call the Balik Kampong or going back to the village. The irony of all this balik kampong is that most of these folks no longer have a kampong to go back to, for most of them are cities dwellers now. But then nowadays it has turn into a sort of a getaway holiday during the various festivals and that includes the Hari Raya holiday season.

Since I am not going anywhere, my kampong now is Ampang Jaya where all the kids grew up and the grand kids call it their kampong. Nenek and I have decided to make it our Kampong now. So we are the first generation of the family that made Ampang Jaya our Kampong and it would be call so by the other generation although it is now a suburban of the city.

Tomorrow we would be celebrating the Festival of Eid or the Hari Raya as we folks here call it. It is the celebration after been fasting for a month in Ramadan and on the Hari Raya Muslim are forbidden to fast. You have to enjoy the festival and if you want to fast then you may do so the next day. Some folks would fast for another six days, an optional fasting of what folks here call the Puasa Enam [the six day fasting]. The atmosphere of the Eid could be felt already and I am glad that the whole families are here to celebrate this year Eid together. Some year our daughter and son in law with their kids would celebrate the Eid at the in law home in Batu Pahat but this year they are having it here at our home. It would be indeed wonderful to be able to enjoy this festival together.

To all do have a great time this Eid. Selamat Hari Raya. And I hope that we all would continue to have a prosperous life always. Have a nice day.

30 comments:

Salt N Turmeric said...

Michael and I would like to wish Selamat Hari Raya to Pak Idrus and family.

Pak Idrus said...

Salt N Turmeric, Farina thanks for the visit and the raya greeting. Selamat Hari Raya to you and Michael too.

If you are back do drop in.

Have a nice day.

Kama At-Tarawis said...

Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri diucapkan kepada Pak Idrus sekeluarga. Samalah kita Pak, KL dah jadi kampung. Saya rindukan Terengganu, tapi dah takder siapa di Dungun, hanya pusara semata-mata. semoga Allah swt berkati segala amalan kita. Wassalam..

Howard said...

Selamat Hari Raya, Pak Idrus! I have never communicated with you, but I have been reading your wonderful blog for a few weeks now. Thank you for the wonderful glimpse into Malaysian life! My wife and I hope to apply for a "Silver Hair" visa sometime soon! Cheers!

Unknown said...

Assalamualaikum,
Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri.
Oh ya, maybe I'll be in KL for Kuala Lumpur Photography Festival in Time Square next month. I'll let you informed later :)
Cheers.

Kerp (Ph.D) said...

Pak Idrus,

likewise, i'll be celebrating here in PJ. a city folk with no kampong to call my own.

salam aidilfitri buat Pak idrus sekeluarga, maaf zahir dan batin, ikhlas dari saya.

Steven Teng said...

Dear Pak Idrus,

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family "Selamat Hari Raya Adil Fitri".

Rgds
Steven Teng
www.stevenhavingfun.blogspot.com

all-in-one said...

Dear PI and family,

Selamat Hari Raya,
Maaf Zahir & batin.

Have a nice day.

Pak Zawi said...

Pak Idus,
Selamat Berhari Raya di 'Kampung' Ampang Jaya. Kuala Lumpur akan aman tenteram sepanjang Raya.
Maaf zahir dan batin.

Pak Idrus said...

puteri kama at-tarawis, thanks for the visit and sharing your thoughts on this subject.

I believe the Balik Kampong has became a concept that is unique to Malaysian. Today all Malaysian call it balik kapong whenever there is a holiday especially that relate to a festival and use it to get out of their normal habitat for a holiday of sorts.

We do not have a choice to select our Kampong, like me it is because of the kids and the grand kids that we have decided to made Ampang Jaya our Kampong. And enjoying living here especially when the kids and grand kids came over from time to time which includes during the Hari Raya.

Have a nice day and Selamat Hari Raya to you.

Pak Idrus said...

Howard, thanks for the visit and the good words on my kind of blogging.

I enjoyed relating my thoughts/experiences and hope that it would do some good to the world at large. And happy to hear that you did enjoy my posting. I am glad that you have chosen Malaysian to retire and enjoy life. It is a great place to be and I hope to see you when you come over for a visit or to settle on retirement.

Do write to me, my email is at my blog. It would be nice to discuss things on a one to one.

Thanks also for the Hari Raya greeting.

Have a nice day to your spouse and youself. Take care.

Pak Idrus said...

akmal, thanks for the visit and the raya greeting. The same to you and hope to see you when you are in KL next.

Have a nice day.

Pak Idrus said...

Kerp (Ph.D), thanks for the visit and sharing your thoughts on the concept of balik kampong. It is now a Malaysian tradition that meant we are back to the root or just to take it easy and enjoy a holiday especially so during the related festival.

Thanks for the raya greeting and hope that you have a great raya as well.

Have a nice day and take care.

Pak Idrus said...

Steven Teng, thanks for the visit and the raya greeting.

Hope to see you some time in the near future.

Have a nice day.

Pak Idrus said...

all-in-one, thanks for the visit and the raya greeting. The same to you. Hope that you too are having a great time on this holiday.

Have a nice day.

louis said...

Hari Raya Greetings to you, Asmah and family, Pak Idrus.

mad redo1 said...

selamat hari raya aidil-fitri, pak idrus. semoga dalam peliharaan-Nya sentiasa...

Pak Idrus said...

zawi, thanks for the visit and the kind words on this posting.

Well, it is my kampong and I love it here. Like you said KL would be empty for a while with all these balik kampong going on.

Thanks for the raya greeting. The same to you and the family. Have a nice day.

Pak Idrus said...

louis, thanks for the visit and the raya greeting. Wished that you and Elena were here to enjoy the Hari Raya.

Have a nice day.

Pak Idrus said...

mad redo1, thanks for the visit, the kind words and the raya greeting. Selamat Hari Raya to you too.

Have a nice day..

svllee said...

Dear Pak Idrus..Hari Raya greetings to you and your wife too, wishing you the very best for the year!

Anonymous said...

Wishing you and Kas Asmah, Selamat Hari Raya. Berbanyak-banyak maaf ya!

Pak Idrus said...

svllee, thanks for the visit and the raya greeting. Best wishes to you and the other half.

If you are back do come over. The raya celebration is for one month.

Have a nice day.

Pak Idrus said...

anasalwa, Siti thanks for the visit and the raya greeting. The same to you. If you are back do come over.

Have a nice day.

Emily said...

Selamat Hari Raya to you and your family!

Pak Idrus said...

emily, thanks for the visit and the raya greeting. Best wishes to you too.

Have a nice day.

mutalib saifuddin said...

eid mubarak, pak. am not sure when, but i'm working out to raya in ampang someday...

thanks. my salam to all.

Pak Idrus said...

mutalib, thanks for the visit and the raya greeting, the same to you. Come any time, we celebrate raya one month. Have a nice day.

Rita Ho said...

Hi Pak Idrus ... I am glad to read that you are having a wonderful time with your whole family. In the end, kampong is really wherever our heart is - with our loved ones, a permanent place.

Warm hugs to you, Kak Asmah and Lin!

Pak Idrus said...

rita, thanks for the visit and the kind words on the family gathering this raya. Indeed as you said the Kampong is in our heart and that's what made it so very special.

Thanks for the greeting and the same to you with warmth regard to David as well. Hope that you would get to our home one of these days.

Have a nice day.