Friday, October 19, 2007

Now, The Raya-ing Begins...




Thursday, yesterday, on the 6th day of Syawal, emak and I went visiting in Melaka with her sister, makcik Yam and son, Azman. Though Melaka is a small state, you'd be surprised that there are many parts of it seldom heard or visited by not only people from outside the state, but within too! One of these places is a Felda settlement at Hutan Perca, quite near Alor Gajah town. For me, I know of only 2 routes leading this to this still lonely settlement: you either approach it from Gemenceh, Negeri Sembilan, or off a road from Alor Gajah town to Melaka Pindah, emak's kampung.

Its been some so many years since I last visited Hutan Perca, the last some 10 years ago when we my mother's first cousin held a wedding reception for his son. Since then - apart from a new housing estate along the way, and a brand new district Police Headquarters - every thing's still quite the same, including the festival gaiety one would normally find a kampung. Hmm...before one misconstrue the meaning of 'festival gaiety', I do not mean music, bands and dance and what-have-you, which may be the norm in many cases. Here, it means the simple joy of meeting relatives you've not met for ages, and watching their children play games which are not attached by wires. Games, which their parents too once played with joy and gusto. One that helped to bond the children together, but only to be parted with childish stupidity and ego of being an adult, but not an adult wise with age.

Police and thief, Catch, Hopscotch, Batu Sembang, and a variety more, are surprisingly still being played in the backyards of a nation now serenaded as a space-age nation, even when the digital divide grows bigger and harder to bridge, and that there are still people living near Neanderthal-age. But the children knows none of this, or care none about it. The only thing that concern these colour-blind children at the moment I was watching, is how to have fun with their cousins and neighbours. How I envy them.

Soon later, having made our last stop at my uncle's house in Melaka Pindah, we found our way back to KL. Alhamdulillah, the North-South Expressway has been widened to 3 lanes on each side, making our journey back a smooth flow. I dread to think had it not. From the past years experience, traveling during any festive occasion can be a nightmare.

When we left Kota Damansara earlier in the morning, several neighbours had already made it back from their respective hometowns the day before. And by the time we arrived back at my house, we noticed several of the newly returns were already receiving guests. Along the way, we noticed one house in particular - with its door and french-windows wide opened - a group of children crowding a corner. We could not ascertain the reason, but suspect it must be due to an electronic game, or something related to it.

That particular scene we notice, had us in a small talk and laughing in the end. With most of the KL population expected to be back in full-swing by this weekend, many house will be hosting open-houses till the end of Syawal, and some, even spilling 2 weekends after! Ramadhan is now a forgotten memory, and Syawal a food festival than anything else, especially for the adult! For the children who tag-along their parents though, its BONUS TIME! - the time where real 'duit-raya' is collected in earnest. The real meaning of the month of Syawal, and the real joys of it, has been confined to only the the first morning. Now, the Raya-ing begins...

24 comments:

tokasid said...

Salam bro Shah'ayeh' :

Good to know you manage to bring your mom back for Raya in Melaka.

Hutan Percha and Menggong can als be reached via Pulau Sebang junction(near a pondok Polis) going through Gadek.

Most places in Alor Gajah district and Jasin district offers tranquility to its visitors unlike Melaka Tengah. You find that time stood still in these places, as if nothing ever happen here.

As for the Raya-ing, I guess it had become second nature to city folks.
But what I don't understand is why do we need to do that? can't we make a open house outside the month of Syawal?( same thing can't we make kenduri kawin outside the school hols period?).

Anyway, if you have to practice raya-ing, do watch your weight and tummy size okay?

Unknown said...

When I go visit my late brother's house, we will pass a 3 to 4 km stretch of greenery. Though the houses are not exactly traditional by design, some being very modern, the kampung feel is evident. I would tell my children how I wished I could afford to buy a piece of land there, build a house and live there after my retirement. My children just looked at me like I was an escapee from Tanjung Rambutan.

I forgot to tell them that whatever it is, it must have broadband. That's good enough for me but I doubt it as far as they are concern.

cakapaje said...

Salam Doc,

Aye! Alhamdulillah, we at last made it to Melaka after decisions after decisions whether to postpone it or not. Finally, the 2 emaks decided to go with 1 car only, and my cousin became the supir while I, the navigator :) Would have been great if we could have met.

Raya-ing? Except for several uncles and family members, don't I will. Hmm...have to include a visit arranged by bro matsalo which will see bro kerp tagging along, though. Other than that, its back to work.

ps. I didn't know about the Pulau Sebang route. Hehe...shows how bad I am at knowing Melaka myself too eh? :)

cakapaje said...

Salam Cikgu,

We share the same sentiment about kampung life. Kalau boleh, I too would like that. The one thing I truly miss about staying in a kampung, is the ayam berkokok. If I remember correctly, bila ayam berkokok, ada malaikat melintas lalu. Wallahualam.

ZABS said...

Salam Aidilfitri CA,
Selaqmat beraya diKL pula. Sema sa beraya di AG, ada dengar berita yang Alor Gajah 2 akan di majukan. Kerja ukur kawasan juga telah dibuat. Ada dengar berita ke?

Fatin said...

Assalamualaikum,

Don't really know what is happening in Malaysia at the moment for this whole month of Syawal, but here in UK, everyone has gone back to normal life and even greeting 'Eid Mubarak' is preceded by 'BELATED'. Malaysians will always have 1 month of Raya. Anyway, will see it as a positive sign.

Wassalam.

p/s: Don't forget 6-day sunnah fast = 1 year fast. Many people here in UK have done it and raya again today!

Bergen said...

Salam aidil fitri to you and your family, sir.

cakapaje said...

Salam Lebaran to you too Pak Zabs!

Mengenai pelan pembangunan terbaru di Alor Gajah, tidak pula sesiapa ceritakan. Biasanya kalau balik kampung emak tu, ramai yang bercerita...

cakapaje said...

Wa'alaikumusalam warahmatulallah,

Fatin, thank you for reminding me about Puasa 6.

There's nothing really wrong about celebrating Syawal for the whole month but, there is something not quite right in the manner it is being done. TV for instance, have been showing songs and dance for the week long, when many of the the ladies are not even covering their aurah! That's just one of the things I see...there's many more.

I would encourage you to read harakahdaily.net and n32.blogspot - amongst the many more - to give you a little more insight of what's going on in Malaysia. Off course, not forgetting rocky's bru also. All 3 can be found either at my blog or at readscentral.

cakapaje said...

Salam Aidilfitri to you and your family too Bergen, sir!

Hope you'll fill us up with your umrah trip.

Fatin said...

Thanks!

Mior Azhar said...

Salam Bro Shah;
My raya-ing began the day we reached KL last Wednesday. Some 60 people turned up at our doorstep with very short notice. Nasib tak sakit jantung. And of course, during the weekend, we menziarah those sedara mara selagi boleh. We did that in between the P. Ramlee The Musicals at IB. Oooh I simply love musicals..

Kerp (Ph.D) said...

my apology bro shahrir, for this has nothing to do with the entry but i've just got to let it out somewhere, and cldnt find a better place than here.

FERRARI TRIUMPHED!!

Kimi did it. Kimi the CHAMPION! WE did it bro, WE DID IT!!!

Woooooohooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!

cakapaje said...

Fatin, you are most welcomed!

cakapaje said...

Salam bro Mior,

You went to the musical at IB? Wow! I completely forgotten about it...it must have been real good.

cakapaje said...

Salam bro Kerp,

Wooooooohooooo! :)

What else can I say? Yeeeeeeha! :)

Anonymous said...

hi! i've no idea where those places are cos i've only been to the town, Afamos@ resort and jasin. nway, salam aidilfitri to u and ur mom.

to tokasid, i did hold my wedding outside school hols and guess what? i got lotsa complaints from relatives and even my own brother. nway, guess i just wanted to help coz there should be less traffic jams outside school hols.

hidayahrodhi said...

salam alaikum,

ermmmmm been sooo long x jejak kaki kat Melaka..btw hidup negeri Selat.

cakapaje said...

Salam ain,

Thank you, and a salam Aidilfitri to you and your hubby too.

Well, like any place on earth, you have to explore Melaka; you'd be surprised at what you'll find, or even unearth! :)

cakapaje said...

alaikumus salam,

Hidup Negeri Negeri Selat! Wooohooo!

GM, unfortunately, only my mum's from there. I'm a born and bred Selangorian! Well, except for the 3 years between 4-6.5 where we were in Pengkalan Chepa, Kelantan.

Anonymous said...

"The only thing that concern these colour-blind children at the moment I was watching, is how to have fun with their cousins and neighbours. How I envy them."

Those are truly the best of times.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Warmly,
Baraka
www.rickshawdiaries.wordpress.com

cakapaje said...

Salam Baraka,

Yes, for many lucky children, growing-up is indeed the best of times, a time innocence, when that very word is a mystery.

Anonymous said...

sapo laei orang utan poco kek sini? an asal n lahir memang kek utan poco tapi sojak sebulan ni dah menotap di manama, bahrain. koramng kono cubo ayam percik tersohor di utan poco tu, ayam pocik dak itam. fuyooo. rindu max.

cakapaje said...

Salam Dak Wan,

Ekau orang utan poco? Ekau anak sapo? Den ni, dari Melako Pindah jang! Er...bukan dan lah, omak den. Den dok tumpang kampung jo :)

Ekau buek apo kek aponamo? Hehe...den usik je jang. Ekau buek apo kek manama tu?