Modern Touch To Hari Raya
By Zowy Costa

Bandar Seri Begawan - After a month of fasting, it is now time for Muslims all over the world to celebrate the month of Syawal or the Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

Here in Brunei, the Aidilfitri is a mass celebration, with the festive season lasting for about a week.

The festivities are accompanied with bright decorative lights around homes and streets, though some folks prefer old-fashion kerosene lamps.

Teenagers also have their own way of celebrating the Raya, making clothing according to the latest fashion, mixing the East and the West, such as glitters on baju kurung among the girls.

Families also tend to stick to a colour code, and teenagers, carrying out convoys during visits. Like teenagers, children enjoy the joyous occasion of Raya, especially when it comes to receiving "duit raya", or green packets, during house visits. Playing with fireworks is also particularly popular among the kids.

In the old days, famous Raya dishes included homemade lemang, ketupat, satay and rendang. But these days, people get restaurants to prepare food for them, with some even inviting chefs to their homes.

Another evolution of Raya is the shift from greeting cards to emails, e-cards, SMS and MMS.

People now send colourful graphics along with sound bites to relatives and friends. Not only is it cheaper, relatives and friends overseas can receive their greetings instantaneously.

Despite modernisation of the Raya, one thing has not changed: it is the time to ask for forgiveness for past mistakes. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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