+ Faith | Raya Shopping

Geylang Serai Hari Raya Light-up 2005 Night Bazaar

Count down to 2 days before the big Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations that falls on Thursday, 3 November 2005.

Did spring cleaning to our home, and it already is quite done-up for friends and relatives to come visiting in Syawal, but we still have not done any Raya Shopping yet for your new clothes.

This evening was the perfect time to do just that.

Off we went to Geylang Serai, the focal point of all Raya Shopping stuff you could ever need were there. It is not Hari Raya in Singapore if you have not stepped into Geylang.

Just like Orchard Road to all Christians for Christmas shopping, Little India to the Indians and Hindus for Deepavali and China Town to all Chinese for their Lunar New Year.

A short shopping list for us this year.

Just two sets of traditional Malay Baju Kurung and my wife's matching headscarf, since we already bought her the two dresses in Bangkok when we had our trip there a few months back.

Ventured out after buka puasa or break fast at 6:51pm and ended late into the night to almost midnight. Our poor son was nagging us to go back home. His "batteries" needed charging as it was way past his bedtime.

The crowd was exceptionally enormous! I had to snap some photos with my cell phone.

There are so many people mostly because it was a Saturday and the bazaar will stay open into the wee hours of Sunday morning, and partly because this will be the final year Geylang Serai will hold it ritual, Hari Raya Bazaar annually due to the government's total upgrading of its amenities, slated to start next year.

Going there was tough enough. Like a ritual, any taxi driver will always advise to go the opposite route via Paya Lebar and alight at Tanjong Katong Complex, to avoid the slow crawl traffic on the stretch of Eunos and Changi Road.

As a norm, traditional Malay Baju Kurung will be a matching family set with loud in colours (yes, for the guys too), the Malay way of reflecting family unity and cheerful celebrations, of the otherwise religious triumph over earthly passions.

This year is no exception. We bought two sets of clothes - one, a "be brave, my son" pastel orange, and the other, a "men, face your fears head-on" purplish-pink colour. All to match the colours with my wife's dresses.

Men would wear such colours on only two occasions.

One on their wedding day, and another, on Hari Raya. You will otherwise stick-out like a sore thumb if you wear it on normal days as the colours are too dramatic.

Anyway, getting there was quite alright, but going back home was arduous.

Since thousands converge almost every night at the same place for the same purpose - Raya Shopping, getting a taxi was an impossible task, as you would see families after families lining the street hailing for a cab.

I was too tired and skipped that challenge. I called a cab instead. End of story.

Now waiting for Aidilfitri.

+ Faith | Fasting Starts

Family portrait in Traditional Malay Dressing on Eid Fitri 2004

With the calling of evening prayer at 6:57pm today, marks the successful first day of Puasa or fasting for the Muslims in this part of the world.

The whole of Asia and Oman start today, 5 October and will end by 2 November 2005 when we celebrate Eid Fitri. Most parts of Middle East started the day before.

Waking at about 4:00am in the morning for our meal. Fasting from any water or food intake from 5:38am this morning to the evening prayer, the first day went well for my wife and I, except our son.

I was called by the school a quarter to noon today, asking me to fetch him home from the school's General Office because he was not feeling well. I had to take urgent half day for that. Thank goodness I have an understanding boss.

In fact, I had to take an urgent day off work on Friday, 30 September. He was having a blocked nose the night before that he could not have a proper sleep. Took him to Dr. Yoong at Tampines Street 32, his doctor since he was a baby, the next morning.

He skipped school with an MC for that day and I had to stay home to look after him. My wife had to open her kiosk, else risking a penalty payment if the kiosk is not opened for business.

At the doctors, he was the one talking, describing to the doctor his symptoms as I watched on. He is a confident boy and I was proud of him with the consultation that went on.

Today, his blocked nose symptom recurred just before his release from his morning session. The blocked nose caused him to have a blunt headache right in the middle of his forehead and the cause for the mild sore throat. Just as what the doctor had diagnosed earlier.

He insisted that he continue with the fasting, so I let him to sleep once we reached home. I was proud of him again for his great will to fast.

He woke up feeling much better after 3:oopm. Played a few rounds of online interactive PC games and talked online with a Singaporean gamer for a while over MSN Messenger, and went to do his homework.

Breaking fast this evening was a very different experience for me personally, as my wife is not with us to break fast together. She was on her way back from her kiosk. We set a place for her at the table while we eat dinner.

Gave him his medication - Dewndine for his blocked nose and Napan for his headache and tucked him to bed.

It has always been her and our son waiting for me to come home from work. Guess this is how is is going to be from now on for the whole of this fasting month, leading the Hari Raya Puasa or Eid Fitri.

I will make a point to leave the office latest by 5:45pm, enough time to buy dinner for all of us, while she will do the same by 6:00pm from her kiosk. Together we will try to break our fast together like we have done all these years.

We are fortunate to have Ramadan in peace amidst these terrible events that have been plaguing our neighbouring countries.

World peace to all. Hope we receive blessings from Allah in this cleansing month of Ramadan.