Eid al-Fitr or locally referred to as “Lebearan”, will probably fall on Monday, March 31st in Indonesia according to astronomical predictions.
In the run -up to oath, families clean and decorate their houses. The air is filled with the smells of “ketupat” (rice cake), “opor ayam” (chicken pot) and “rendang” (spicy beef). The streets sum up with “Pasar Malam” (night markets), where people buy special foods, new clothes and gifts for their families.
On the EID day, everyone in Indonesia dresses in their best clothing – “Baju Koko” for men and “Baju Kurz” for women. The day begins with prayers in the mosque, followed by visits to family and friends. Oldest are honored and children receive “Angpao” (red envelopes with money) for good luck.
The open tradition is huge. Families invite everyone to join their celebrations, share meals and enjoy their company. Expats often come home from abroad to celebrate this day. In Indonesian this means “Mudik” – the tradition of returning to the hometown to be with the family.
Around 87% of the Indonesian population identified As a Muslim and thus Islamic holidays are usually a big affair. Lebarant is one of the most popular seasons in Indonesia and revolves around community, food and togetherness.
