5000 MILESTONE!!

The target is not that BIG, the milestone is at 5000.  Let's work for the next 5000. 

Thank you folks !

Sc1. HARI RAYA 2014

It would be a never-ending story if you want to find out what is Hari Raya or Eid.  I have been on the festival every year minus few years when I was not inland.  Nevertheless, Raya is always be associated with relatives, foods, festivities, firecrackers, money, and most obvious, kids.
On the right meaning of Eid, it is the marking of the end of fasting month, the Ramadan.

It is obvious that being a mark, it rightfully should end in a day or two, but Malaysia, being special in every ways, the 'celebration' could go on for the whole month of Syawal, regardless of how cynistic this has been seen by the residents outside of Malaysia.  

I have the proof here with the photos taken for the whole stretch of Syawal, with the ending has been marked at my very own place.  What a co-incidence.

The beginning

It is always a tradition to start the Raya at the village, or kampung, where one is originated from.  The gathering is highlighted with a traditional forgiveness-seeking from the relatives, mainly to the elderly relatives.  This doesn't mean you have made mistakes or wrong deed just that normally it is customary or a just-in-case situation.

Give me extra atuk.

In normal cases, the forgiveness giving is endorsed with the handing out of the little envelope, or angpow, and mostly become the main reason for celebrating raya for the kids.

Three-generation gathering.  I am really an atuk.

The choice of colour make us invisible when sitting on the couch.

 The theme is always to wear similar colour clothing and popularly known as sedondon.

Is this sedondon?

You mean you can't see my partner?

Some choose to be a loner, not about the angle of sitting that one choose, but on where the family members are at this time of the day. 

The eldest, abang Long is always accompanied with girls, the daughters.

A little mix of colour will do this time.

Raya for kids is also e-gadget.  O dear.

 After that quick breakfast and shaking hands, we dashed into our vehicles and go to the relatives, 

to repeat the process.

Which way should I go.

Still some more leftover photos, the best is to mosaic them together.  Check your photo, as always.

In the meantime

About 200km away, the same process of family gathering took place.  It seems to be lacking in family members here, of course.  It is always rotational basis, which means this year the raya is started from west to east, and next year the process is reversed.  Isn't that fair?

Getting ready for...........

I don't have much photos here, still importing from the east coast.  Will add in later.

A scene from THE COAST.

The week after

Now its time to go to Dollah's.  This is where I lack the photo.  Can you spot me?

Don't try too hard because you will not find me.

What about the ladies?  Are they not here? In fact there is a new photo just came in, yes they were around as well.  So cheerful, maybe because we weren't there.

 

 

The middle

We still looked forward to more invitations to continue with the Eid spirit.  This is the concept of open house, where anyone can walk in and have a chat and eat.  Well, not everyone la, but that is the concept at least.

Being invited to come at night, we drove into Samsul's house right on-the-dot, to make sure we had enough time to chat, errr and to eat.

Brothers and sister.

Ladies

and gentlemen.

You can be lonely sometime.

Some just glued to TV.

Some having business deal.

Or catching up with the latest gossip.

Again, if still so many photo, mosaic them up.

And thanks to Samsul, he even come up with his mini video production.  Enjoy it.

 The second half

We now move southward and pay a visit to Denan's.  This is the most unusual, or rather unique raya since we were served with agarwood or gaharu tea.  Not only that, it was rather gaharu story throughout the night.  Real unique.

Now try this, the gaharu tea.  OMG, says Khairul.

Kids having fun raya in sarung.

Enough of gaharu story, we moved to another location.

 The Ending, at Sue's

We have come to the end of the raya story.  It was really the end, the 28th Syawal to be exact.  Location? Our very own place.
This is a collaborative work and we tag team with Khairul and Sue for the curtain down.  Sue agreed to take the first badge, always the hardest since the visitors are hungrier then.

The first badge of guests.  See what I mean.

Sue has probably feed them too much, one of the guest has to take a nap there and than.  Who is it?

As for the ladies, they are still wide awake and raring to go to the second house.  Bravo ladies.

 

at ours

As they started coming into our house, the weather have changed for the worst, or in this instant, for the better.

And the downpour.

But the show must go on.

I can't move around much.

This bed will do.

This being investigative reporting in nature, I can conclude that the raya in Malaysia is really a month-long affair.  It is unique, can become the talk of town especially other countries but this can be said as TRULY Malaysia.  Need a change?  You answer it.