October 1, 2008 is no ordinary day. It is a special day in that it is the Hari Raya or the Eid Fitri. It is a day of joy for the Muslim who had fasted during the whole month of Ramadan. It is a day where families get together to enjoy this once a year festival of hopes and happiness. A day of rejoice among family members, relatives and friends. For the Malay Malaysian the Hari Raya is special in that it is at this festival that family members and relatives goes back to their root, thus the balik kampong or the return to the village ritual that made our roads clog with traffics. It is a day where you had that feeling of love all over you, to meet with the elders, like mom and dad or the other extended families at the place of your birth or some place where your mom and dad had made it their home or Kampong. At this time the house would be done up with the pomp and splendor of a festival, with fairy lights and colorful flowers and orchid blooming all around. It is a day where everything became renewed of sorts. Mementos are dusted and decorated turning the home into a colorful and wonderful place to enjoy that one day, the Hari Raya.
As for our family the kids and the grand kids had already been camping at our home for the last few days and today they celebrate their Hari Raya with us the Grandma and Grandpa. To Nenek and me it is like heaven come home, what with that cheerful look of all those grand kids all dressed up in their new Baju Raya [new dresses made especially for the Eid]. The joy and the glitter in their eyes brought joy to us that only folks with kids and grand kids know best. Generating an atmosphere of love all over and it really do made living so wonderfully beautiful.
Folks, golden age do have it reward and one of such reward is to be able to see the kids grows and have family of their own. And when the grand kids came along, it is an added bonus that brought more joy and happiness, more so on the morning of the Hari Raya. Image on the left show the grand kids paying their respect to the grandma and grandpa just like they did with their mom and dad and the other members of the family. And of course this is the time when they would get their Duit Raya. With that Duit Raya this solemn moment of grace would manifest into a moment of joy for the whole family, adding more color to the already colorful event of that wonderful morning of the Hari Raya.
Have a nice day.
[Note: Duit Raya means Ang Pow or Gift Money in a packet, a tradition of Hari Raya]
As for our family the kids and the grand kids had already been camping at our home for the last few days and today they celebrate their Hari Raya with us the Grandma and Grandpa. To Nenek and me it is like heaven come home, what with that cheerful look of all those grand kids all dressed up in their new Baju Raya [new dresses made especially for the Eid]. The joy and the glitter in their eyes brought joy to us that only folks with kids and grand kids know best. Generating an atmosphere of love all over and it really do made living so wonderfully beautiful.
Folks, golden age do have it reward and one of such reward is to be able to see the kids grows and have family of their own. And when the grand kids came along, it is an added bonus that brought more joy and happiness, more so on the morning of the Hari Raya. Image on the left show the grand kids paying their respect to the grandma and grandpa just like they did with their mom and dad and the other members of the family. And of course this is the time when they would get their Duit Raya. With that Duit Raya this solemn moment of grace would manifest into a moment of joy for the whole family, adding more color to the already colorful event of that wonderful morning of the Hari Raya. Have a nice day.
[Note: Duit Raya means Ang Pow or Gift Money in a packet, a tradition of Hari Raya]
That brings back memories of my childhood. Everybody would queue for their turn to salam, ask for forgiveness and get our duit raya! Even those pyrex plates are the same one tht my mom has. ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Pak Idrus,
ReplyDeleteGlad to know you had a good eid. We had a lovely time too. My girl woke up early despite sleeping late the night before to help me preparing for Eid. We performed our prayers at the Hall. Had guests from morning till night. Over the weekend, went to friends place.
It was a memorable eid for both of us.
Salt N Turmeric, Farina thanks for the visit and sharing your thoughts on the wonder of Hari Raya.
ReplyDeleteAs for that Pyrex, the set is my spouse favorite for use during large gathering. It has been with us for years.
Have a nice day.
Ms b, thanks for the visit, the good words and sharing your thoughts on your Hari Raya with the kid in the faraway land.
ReplyDeleteIt does not matter where we are the Hari Raya do bring folks together. To have your kid around surely a bonus point for any parent. Indeed a joyous moment in time.
Have a nice day.
Your custom of children paying respect to their parents and grandparents is beautiful. Nazli has written a very moving account of it in her post "Festival of Breaking Fast".
ReplyDeletelouis, thanks for the visit and sharing your thoughts on this subject. Yes I have read nazli's posting. This ritual is normal in the Muslim home come the Hari Raya. It is a great tradition of passing over the family value to the young.
ReplyDeleteIndeed a beautiful tradition and repeated on every Hari Raya, with that it is hope the young would always show their respect to the old.
Have a nice day.