Eid al-Fitr 2023 is on April 20th, and as the country with the most Muslim population in the world, let me tell you some of the traditions and celebrations Muslim Indonesians do. The celebration always started with the Eid al-Fitr prayer at the mosque. People of all backgrounds and ages pray together in the morning. Usually, because of the number of people that come, the prayer will extend to the streets, and it’s such a magnificent sight to see those many people so devout in their prayers.
Each family will return home after the collective prayer in the mosque. Then the “sungkeman” or asking for forgiveness from the elders is commenced. Finally, children will kneel and bow at the feet of their parents and ask for forgiveness from their parents and grandparents or people considered the elders in the family.
One of the must-have dishes for this day is Chicken Curry called Opor Ayam and a diamond-shaped rice cake called Ketupat. Every family has recipes for making it, and let me tell you that the word delicious doesn’t do it justice! Cookies are also one of the must-have snacks/desserts. Jars of it are placed around the house, so visitors are welcome to eat them.
Visiting relatives is also one of the things to do during Eid, and it’s not limited to the living ones. Here Muslims also visit the gravesites of their deceased relatives to clean up the grave areas, scatter fresh flowers, and pray for the deceased relatives.
It’s a tiring yet fun day of being with families and extended families, the plethora of delicious foods, and the fresh start of a new year filled with happiness, blessings, and hopefulness until the next new year.
