Lebaran

I saw this Bajaj on our way out my grandmother graveyard. There are at least 7 people in it, the driver and two kids sat in the front, 3 women and that guy in the back. I think it was the whole family of the driver. One of the kids in front had half of his bum hanging out of the Bajaj.

On the Lebaran day after Eid prayer people visit their family graves, so there are always traffic jam around any graveyards. Afterwards, people visits their families and friends' houses to celebrate Lebaran. Of course being Indonesian, food is everywhere. By tradition, most houses serve Gulai (spicy beef/lamb/goat stew), Opor (chicken stew in cocos milk with tumeric), ketupat (rice cooked in young coconut leaves) and cookies and cakes. At least in Jakarta you will most probably find Nastar (ananas cookies), Kaasstengels (cheese stick) and Lapis legit cake (layered cake).

Most people make it a point of wearing new clothes on Lebaran. Last week an uncle of mine gave me a new tunic, so I also wore a new clothes this year, normally I dont wear new clothes. Our big family gathers at one of my mom's sisters for lunch. It's a potluck. But two dishes are always be there: Rabek (Banten's goat meat & tripe dish) and Goat Gulai sans coconut milk.

Unlike in other moslem countries, in Indonesia we have Lebaran tradition to ask people forgiveness of our wrong doing. It's very Indonesian. I guess that's also the reason why we are more into Eid-ul-Fitr (we call it Lebaran) than Eid-ul-Adh, while it is the other way around in other countries.

Just like Christmas, kids get something on Lebaran. By something I mean: money. In our family, aunties and uncles collected the money and distributed equally, no ageism or sexism. It's funny seeing how different they acted around the prospect of getting money. As you can see on their faces, some are indifferent, the other are so excited about it.

Happy Lebaran.

Mohon maaf lahir dan batin.