Thursday, October 2, 2008

FIRST DAY OF RAYA


Raya for the Jamil Sulong family has always been 'systematic' (not that we don't like it). On the day before Raya, most of the family members would return to the family retreat in Janda Baik.
My mother has already gone back two days earlier to start preparing for the Raya. I reached the homestead about 3 pm on the eve of Raya, bringing along my father.
My brother would be arriving around 6pm because he had to wait for his youngest daughter from college. His wife and eldest daughter would arrive the next morning.
My sister Murni came with my mother, whilst her family will arrive later today, after attending a dinner at her in-laws.
Once there, me and my dad begin making the ketupat, using (for the first time), ketupat leaves from our own lawn. It is part of the family tradition to learn the ketupat weaving skills. To date, my eldest, Buddy, and my daughter Adylla, has learnt how to weave the ketupat.
My youngest, Iliya, would be busy playing his P2P.
The kitchen would be busy with mother and sister preparing the rendang minang and the kuah lontong. For the first time in many years, my mother is also preparing soto for the first day (usually soto is made for the second day). She's changing the menu because me and my brother would not be around for the second day. My brother, Arjunaidi would be working on the second day (flying to Sydney). Me? I've got nothing arranged but the kids had promised their friends to go out on the second day.Anyway, Raya eve was always a night for the young ones to play their fireworks. Luckily this year, I got hold of some really great ones including some really neat rockets. Fireworks, when properly supervised by adults, can be safe and fun.
On the morning of Raya, the menfolk got up early and went to the kampung mosque. Later in the day, most would drop by my grandmother's grave, to offer her doa's and prayers.
Upon returning home from the mosque, the family would gather and my father would lead the usual Raya doas before our first Syawal meal of the season.
We received many visitors from village and some friends.
But the highlight of the day was when my old best buddy, Prof Madya Dr Wan Fauzi (above), from school dropped by (Iit's been over 20 years since we last met). I appreciated his visit and wish him well for his future. It was great chatting about old days.
To all my friends, relatives, colleagues and fans - Selamat Hari Raya and Maaf Zahir Batin. Eat well, eat good and drive safe. And don't forget to see tonight's episode of Bilik No. 13.

5 comments:

Ajami Hashim said...

fyi, kat kg i tgk dvd AMOK.. wow! suka tgk lakonan ur mom ;-)

anwardi said...

tq Mi. Aku pun tengok DVD - filem2 yang I miss termasuk lah Evolusi KL Drift dan Duyong. Arghhhhh! Tapi nasib baik aku tengok filem Korea tajuk The Chaser. Wow! Jangan lupa nonton!
FYI, I think my mom's acting in Jasmin is better....but Amok pun okay kot....kalau nak tengok dia buat cameo, tengok Bilik No.13 malam ni (Thursday 9hb Oktober) bertajuk Bunian....dia appear in One Scene.

Anonymous said...

Hey Anwardi!
My gosh, Wan Mohd Fauzi is still ever youthful looking, like he just came out of form5 in 1974!
Geez! He's a professor & doctor?!?! Wow! Pls send him my regards. Not sure if he remembers me eventhough we were once classmates between forms 1-5.
regards...eugene

anwardi said...

Hi Eugene,
Yes, he looks like he's been trapped in a time warped. Hardly changed except for the thinning hairline (like most of us lah). Will email him and tell him you said hi.
By the way, my private email is anwardi@gmail.com. Mail me and we can catch up over drinks.

Unknown said...

Hello Eugene, I am sorry but vaguely remember how you looked like, any photos please. Thanks for the time warp comment but thankfully the photo is not close up, you might realize that it should have been an accelerated time warp.