Today is the first day of the fasting month of Ramadhan. It is the holy month for the Moslems, and as Indonesia's population is largely Moslems, you can't help but feeling it everywhere.
On telly, all the Indonesian soap operas, the so-called 'sinetron' are filled with titles that presents some kind of holiness affiliated. Instead of girls walking around in tank tops and tight jeans, you see more girls wearing head scarves looking demure. Cafes and restaurants put up curtains on their glass windows, so those who are fasting can not be tempted.
The holy month Ramadhan is about holding back. It is about giving into bodily suffering to focus and concentrate on one's faith. Lucky me, I don't have to fast and you know what's the best thing about the first day of the fasting month that deserves a post in this blog??
Jakarta's traffic eased up. I was driving around everywhere and I got to places in no time. Man! More people should be fasting!!
15 years ago
2 comments:
Ramadhan your so called "holding back" month in Indonesia is a farce. When people are supposedly keeping their earthly desires to a minimum to get closer to Allah, they actually spend more money than any other time of the year. A university study once produced a report on this and it is self evident: just ask any muslim family that observes Ramadhan what month of the year you spend the most money (on food, clothes, etc) and they will say: Ramadhan. Holding back? I dont think so. At least not in Indonesia.
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