We are all aware of the safety measure implemented due to the pandemic. That leaves many of our Muslim friends asking, ‘How are we going to celebrate Hari Raya this year?’ Many of us were expecting to finally be able to visit our relatives on Hari Raya this year.
A New Normal Celebration
However, we were hit by the news saying that we are only allowed to travel in groups of five – that’s almost Phase 2 all over again. My family was somewhat disappointed by the news. We already had kuih ready for guests, bought baju raya to put on when visiting and started prepping our house.
This year, Hari Raya falls on the 13th of May. It marks the end of Ramadan and the start of Syawal. A month full of joy and happiness, forgiveness and strengthening bonds with family and friends.
How It Was Back Then
Every year, my family and I would visit at least six houses on the first day of Hari Raya. We would all gather at my grandaunt’s house, laughing and reminiscing the past. The day was always full of joy and laughter.
Visiting relatives and other family members would normally last for two weeks. On the second week, we would gather with other relatives and visit each other’s houses. That is when my cousins and I would catch up.
How It Is Now
However, things change when the pandemic hit last year. Our ‘Hari Raya visitings’ shifted to Zoom. It was a totally different vibe, looking at each other through that small rectangle on the screen. The thing I look forward to every Hari Raya is the dishes served at each household. I was pretty sad as I could not indulge in my grandmother’s ketupat (packed rice) with ayam masak merah (spicy tomato chicken) – that’s my favourite.
This year is better, however. Though we can only travel in groups of five and only visit two houses, my family and I can at least visit my grandparents on this special day. Trust me, I am going to devour and indulge in my grandmother’s cooking – it is that good!
Work Together For A Better Future
The pandemic has definitely put a toll on us. Safe distancing measures have to be implemented to ensure that the number of cases decreases. Despite that, the Malay Muslim community is always keeping their hopes up and making sure that Hari Raya is well celebrated – with these measures in place of course.
We should all work together to decrease the number of cases and putting the pandemic to a stop. Not only for the Malay community to celebrate our festivals but also for other festivals such as Christmas, Chinese New Year and Deepavali.
I am sure many of us would want to live our lives like how we did back then. But how can we achieve that without working hand-in-hand? It takes all of us to come together, adhering to the restrictions to live in a better environment and build a better future.
