Here is the second part of an interview with Ika about Ramadan.
Baliblog: What's the last day of Ramadan, is that special?
Ika: Ya. If in Java we can feel it, but in Bali it's not really any different. Maybe in kampung jawa (a Javanese community in Bali) they are going to make something, like Mataram or Tuban. In Java the last day of Ramadan when buka, people doing thanks for the God all night long.
Baliblog: What do you call that?
Ika: Takir. If in Java, every mosque they have like in my village, every line of streets, usually we have one mosque for every 4 streets, we line up and we turn around the village. We say lines from the Koran in Arabic, meaning Allah is great.
Baliblog: So you line up in one line or many lines?
Ika. It's like carnival.
Baliblog: Everyone is walking down the street?
Ika: Every mosque has decorations on a car or something. We also carry a lighted torch.
Baliblog: The day after Ramadan what's it called?
Ika: Idul Fitri.
Baliblog: Its 2 days yeah?
Ika: Yeah.
Baliblog: What does Idul Fitri mean?
Ika: Idul Fitri means we come back to the Fitri, we come back to the pure again. Just like a baby when they are born.
Baliblog: So you have 2 days of Idul Fitri do you pray a lot at the mosque?
Ika: No. on the first morning of Idul Fitri, at 6am-6.30am, many people go to the mosque that is having the praying, maybe not in the mosque but in the soccer field.
Baliblog: Is there a big party on Idul Fitri?
Ika: Many people go to their own village.
Baliblog: After Ramadan finishes Idul Fitri is like a big party yeah?
Ika: Yes.
Baliblog: When is the big party? The first morning, first evening, second evening?
Ika: I think the first morning, when people praying, after that we visit each other, we call it silatorami, and say 'forgive me, I forgive you,' like that. We forgive each other. So Fitri is like no one has a sin, we come back to the pure.
Baliblog: Lucky you.
Ika: Yeah! In Ramadan too, one of the nights but no one knows when the night will be, the night, its better than 1,000 nights. If you can find that night it will be lucky.
Baliblog: Does everyone get it?
Ika: No one knows. But when the night comes, the sign is that no wind blows, so everything is quiet.
Baliblog: Does that happen every Ramadan?
Ika: Yes. It could be in the first week, second week third week, etc.
Baliblog: When it happens, what happens to you?
Ika: It's only in the religion and people believe.
Baliblog: Oh, so it doesn't happen then, not really.
Ika: Its says in the religion that 1 night in 1,000 nights will come and goes to you if you are lucky.
Baliblog: Have you been lucky?
Ika: Um, its depends. You mean have I found it, like that? No one knows if people find it or not.
Baliblog: So the person doesn't know. And you find it by being good during Ramadan?
Ika: Yes. People want to find it so people are praying and going to the mosque, reading Koran and fasting.
Baliblog: Okay thank you Miss Ika.
Ika: You're welcome Mr. Nick.
{ 2 comments }
what u see in indonesia , ramadhan mostly just ritual. after ramadhan is hardly too see any change to their behaviour. like Koran said ’so many people doesnt get anything from their fasting except hunger and thirst’
You know know Ketut i think its the same ith most religions. Back home in England most people look at Christams as a cultural holiday, where they stop work, enjoy food and drink, visit friends & relatives etc.
I think Ika likes Ramadan because of those reasons, not becasue she is in the mosque all day.
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