My 8 Days of Raya (1430H)

Thanks to Facebook, I am no longer rajin updating this space. Sometimes, well err most of the time, I'm tempted to simply close this blog. But then again, I've been keeping this space since 2003.... which is rather a long time. After all, the real reason for me to set up this blog in the first place was to note down happenings around my family. So this blog stays....

And now for my this year's Raya entry.....

Day One: Woke up early... somehow most of us find it easy to wake up early on Raya day. Went to the nearby surau for Solat Raya. Whoaaa, nearly missed it as they started early. The solat, I mean. Oh, this year, we did not balik kampung. Long story.
Back home, the ladies are all ready in their Raya bajus. Soon after, brother in law Abg Lan and family came over, followed by another BIL, Nyah Ji and family. Lepaking and eating were the order of the day. They stayed on until evening. A few nephews and a niece stayed on to spend the night at our place. Then in the evening we decided to go bowling (yeah tuan-puan, we went bowling) at Sunway Pyramid. Well, at least we did not go in all the baju melayus and kurungs like some other people there.

Us and our tamu - makan2 and sembang2

later on, we found ourselves at the bowling alley

Day Two: Early morning, Yan went online googling for pancake's recipe. Yes, pancakes for breakfast. While Yan cook with Nisah, the boys went swimmng. And I was on FB. Then we had a long leisurely breakfast which started around 9am which ended around noon!!! After Zuhur, we drove up to Abg Lan's place in Sg Buloh for some lawatan balas. Fantastic spaghetti carbonara awaits us there. Delicious. Later that night, cousin Anom and Nasir came over.

Day Three: Tummy ache. Akibat lupa diri on the first two days of Raya. Spending most of the day in bed trying to sleep off the pain. By night time, felt better and decided to go out for dinner at our favourite place Fig & Olive in Sunway Pyramid.

.... at our favorite makan place

Day Four: Busy day. Many more people came over. As we were already sick and tired of segala lemang rendang, Yan decided to serve nasi putih and masakan kampung this time. Delicious. People streamed into our homes from noon till quite late at night. Alhamdulillah.

it's good to see the guests polished off our spread...

Day Five: Did absolutely nothing. Except late at night, went out to buy bercucuk satay ayam at USJ8. Sedap la pulak.

Day Six: Woke up very late. Then realised that I've to go to work today. Kelam kabut satu round. Alas, walked into the office dengan selambanya at 11.30am!!!! Went to Solat Jumaat at the Taman Desa mosque. Whoaaaa, masjid kosong. Apparently, many people are still in kampung and on leave. But the khutbah, with its multimedia presentation and all, is very humbling. MasyaAllah! After work, went to raya at my brother's place in USJ3.

Day Seven: Busy day. Before noon, drove to Cheras to attend majlis merisik Nisah, our niece! The rombongan sebelah lelaki came on time and as the only available uncle, was entrusted with the duty to represent the soon to be bride's side. Stammer my way through successfully. And then it was lunch feast. Makan lagik. Left soon after as another niece, Shida, was already on her way to our place. Reached home and Shida was already there. Chit chat some more. By 6pm, made our way to my uncle's place in Shah Alam for Raya open house do. Makan lagik....oooh heaven!!!

with Mak Su and Ayah Chu

Day Eight: More tetamu came over. Long lunch and Yan baked cream cheese carrot cake, my favourite. And, yes I seriously need to start my puasa enam soon. Tomorrow, perhaps?

So, that's my raya this year. Thus far....

Salam Aidil Fitri 1430/2009

The food to our soul is hope. The delights of our heart, happiness. As we closed another Ramadan chapter, InsyaAllah we have brought hope and happiness onto others. When done, , the journey of realisation will give hope to have our own happiness., beyond any physical pleasures. Spare yourself a thought. Salam Aidil Fitri to all. Have a Grand Raya. Maaf Zahir dan Batin!

Raya dulu-dulu!!!

I was revisiting old entries of this blog and was reading my previous Raya entries when it struck me that I now have a rather vague recollection of my Raya experiences especially when I was smaller and younger.

So out came the old photo albums where I searched for old Raya photos. Unfortunately, there were not that many photos and certainly none when I was in the primary school years. The fact is I really do not remember much about how I spent my Raya with my parents and brothers - except that we usually would drive to my Opah's place in Lahat (near Ipoh) after the solat Raya and on the second day of Raya, my Bapak's mum and siblings would be coming down to our place in Temoh for some serious Raya "lepak" session. That went on for many years, ever after my Bapak's passing.

Here are some of my Raya of yesteryears that I managed to .. err... salvage:

First Raya with Alia

Then Asma came along the next year (just check out her hairdo)

... and Arissa appeared the next year (us with Mak Temoh in Temoh)

Cousins - Safia, Ina, Alia, Asma, Soraya holding Adam with Arissa sleeping peacefully.

Bapak's siblings and gang used to come down to Temoh every second Raya ... so much so it became a must tradition that went on for many years (pix in mid 90s, probably Raya1996)

And of course before that, all of us would gather at Opah's place on the first day of Raya (this pix taken on Raya 1986)

However...one of my most favourite Raya happened in 1993... when I got engaged on the second day..

My family getting ready with the hantaran pertunangan before making their way to Kampar...

to sarung the cincin to this beautiful lady

I didn't go though... the rombongan left for Kampar and I went to sleep. This is me after they all got back from Kampar. Happy man!



As for Raya with kawan-kawan, we normally visited each the on the thrid or fourth day of Raya... like this Raya in 1983 when my Form 6 buddies came over to my place in Temoh. Those good old days!!!!!