SUNGAI CHOH (34) : Once Upon A Time | Hari Raya Aidilfitri

 

Hari Raya Aidilfitri

(We Visited Each Other's House)

 

Hari Raya Aidilfitri

Looked Gergeous

Unbranded Slippers

Forgive Each Other

Extinguish The Fire

 

On the first day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, we all looked gorgeous. Every now and then we smiled happily, even though we were wearing new white Fung Keong shoes or just new unbranded slippers. We actually did not care much about our dresses, as long as the dresses were new to the eyes. So it was the day when we visited each other’s houses, not  to queue for angpao but to forgive each other. Excitement sometimes made us less concerned about angpao or sedekah. However  we believed that, “sedekah is like water to extinguish the fire”.

 

On the first Hari Raya, some villagers also went to the cemetery, a place of peace for the  final rest. It was about 1 km away from the village. It was really a day to recite prayer for the dead ones, as well as to  remind us of death. After the visit we were free to run the Hari Raya program. Yet not enough time to explore every corner of the village. So we might as well just visited friends and relatives. By the end of the day all kind of cakes and drinks stuffed into our stomach, making it difficult to breathe. However  friends' home visit continued to the second day.  As there was no TV program to tie our legs to the house, so we visited our friends or we invited them to our home.

 

The next day we stepped further. With a considerable amount of angpao, it's time to have fun. So our next destination was the Rawang town, about five km from Sungai Choh main bus stop. It was once a tin mining town as early as  19th century. So we took Foh Hup bus to Rawang bus station.  That’s the only bas service back then.  There was no other public transport.  No Grab or Uber service, and even taxi. By then we actually had no plan whatsoever, just went for a walk and drink. However some friends bought tickets to watch cheap matinee at Rex Cinema. So that’s the way we spent a day, just to finish off our angpao. Anyway It was a day to remember.  Then it became once upon a time story that did not last a week to tell back.