Han Raya Aidilfitri, or Hari Raya Puasa, marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting. It is the Muslim festival of Eid-ul-Fitr. It signifies a victory of self-restraint and abstinence and thus purification and renewal. The festival is also known as Hari Raya Puasa or Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Hari Raya is literally translated to mean day of celebration. The celebration goes on for the whole month of Syawal.

Fasting

In the month leading up to Raya, during Ramadan, Muslims fast from dusk till dawn. Abstinence is practiced as a cleansing ritual for the body and soul. Ramadan bazaars are set up all over the country, selling traditional Malay delicacies to Muslims for breaking fast, or "buka puasa". Non-Muslims also join in on the fun, taking the chance to savor kuihs and traditional dishes that they may not have access to at other times! Restaurants and hotels also offer "buka puasa" buffets and specials all month long and people of all races enjoy the delicious food spread. The period of fasting (usually a month) ends with the sighting of the new moon on the last day of Ramadhan.

Balik Kampung

The busy highways are definitely an evidence of Raya! Every year, you will find the highways busy with Muslims making the exodus from cities back to their hometown. The Balik Kampung is one road trip that plenty look forward to and this ritual is very important as it brings family and friends closer. Much preparation is undertaken before the trip - buying new clothes, getting gifts for loved ones and packing up the family for the journey home. Reunions with family members and childhood friends are much anticipated. Big cities are usually cleared of its dwellers, but recent years have seen this being reversed as small town folks take advantage of the public holidays and make their way to the cities for a short holiday.

Seeking Forgiveness

Hari Raya is a time to forgive, reconcile and renew. Often heard greetings during the festival are "Selamat Hari Raya" and in reply, "Maaf zahir dan batin"; the later means to seek forgiveness physically and spiritually. Younger members will approach elders to seek forgiveness, to hold both their hands in theirs (salam) and kiss the hands of the older person as a sign of respect. A sense of harmony and camaraderie is felt throughout the festival as quarrels are forgotten and past mistakes forgiven.

Preparation

On the eve of Hari Raya, there is much cheer and merrymaking at home. Mothers and daughters work together to get the house ready. Newly washed curtains are hung and new cushion covers are brought out for display. The house is dusted and mopped to perfection, silverware is polished and festive decorations are hung too. Some families replace their old furniture with new, signifying renewal of the mind, body and spirit. In the kitchen, Raya cakes and cookies, which are baked weeks before, are ready to be served on the day of Hari Raya. Days before Raya, oil lamps are lit in the compounds of the family home. New clothes are readied to be worn on the day and children are often entertained with stories about past Raya celebrations.

After dinner, the sky is often ablaze with fireworks while kids play with sparklers so it's a sight to behold indeed! In recent years, shopping malls have jumped on the bandwagon, offering Raya sales and putting up decorations to add to the merriment.

Visit of Graves

As the first day of Hari Raya dawns, Muslim families prepare for their annual visit to the graves of their loved ones. They are remembered during this time of celebration. During the visit, the graves are cleaned and short prayers are said. It's a nice ritual to remember those we loved on this special day.

Visiting and Food

After the visit to the graves, the whole day will be spent visiting relatives or if one is playing host, entertaining visitors. Children are given duit raya, traditionally in envelopes, but now in green-colored money packets, much like the red-colored packets the Chinese give out during Chinese New Year. Ample food and drinks are served and constantly replenished. The humble ketupat is synonymous with Hari Raya. The rice cakes wrapped in banana leaf is served with beef rendang (a dish cooked with spices and coconut milk) and satay (grilled meat skewers). Lemang is another favorites and it is actually glutinous rice cooked to perfection in bamboo sticks.

For the whole month of Syawal, stalls selling lemang and the companion curry and rendang pop up on roadsides and even highways! Serunding (dessicated coconut fried with chili) and chicken curry are also staples during Raya. Air sirap (syrup water) quench the merrymakers' thirst, especially in the sweltering heat. Sweets in the form of delicious Raya cakes and cookies are served.

Clothes

Leading up to Raya, tailors are inundated with orders for baju Kurung or baju Kebaya for the ladies and baju Melayu for the men. These are usually made with traditional textiles like batik and songket. Nowadays, the traditional wear for ladies also come in all kinds of luxurious fabric like silk, satin and chiffon, with intricate beading and embellishments. If custom made is not for you, shopping malls and departmental stores are usually amply stocked with baju Kurung in every color and material imaginable. During these few days of merrymaking and festivities, young children are especially thrilled to be decked out in colorful new clothes.

Open House

Open house literally means opening up of houses to friends and relatives to come and visit. Although the first three days are usually reserved for close relatives and friends, open houses are held all month long. People of all races and religion take part in Raya Open House, taking the time to visit with their Muslim friends and colleagues and savor home-made delicacies. The concept has also been adopted by other races, with the Chinese holding open houses during Chinese New Year as well.

So as you can see. Hari Raya is truly a festival that's celebrated by all Muslim!