Hari Raya Puasa

During the week or so before the start of the Hari Raya festival the womenfolk would start to be busy making various types of local delicacies, the main ones being the KETUPAT,RENDANG and PEANUT SAUCE, LEMANG, TIERED SPONGE CAKES, BISCUITS, and not forgetting the CHRISMAS CAKE (note the spelling of Xmas) of which the recipes are written down in an exercise book and religiously referred to every year. The various coloured AGAR AGAR and BOTTLED DRINKS-F&N ORANGE, SODA WATER, STRAWBERRY should be mentioned.

Batu Road and Malay Street were busy with shoppers. There were sales galore in Batu Road. The womenfolk flocked to the clothes shops, the main being GLOBE SILK STORE (still there to this very day) to get the latest materials for their dresses and also for the young girls which are made to order from seamstresses. The NETTING materials, for the windows were much sought after. A change of window NETTINGS every year was a sign of prosperity; be it the 1 Malaysian Ringgit a yard materials or the expensive materials favoured by the affluent ones.

Petaling Street was also a place to shop for materials. The Malay Baju Melayu, Songkok and Chapal for the men and boys could be purchased from Malay shops in Malay Street. As far as I can remember the street stalls came much later. Hari Raya greeting cards stalls came sprouting out. Ready made cakes,biscuits, etc were also sold. Various types of ready of food to break the fast with are also sold though this is a a new phenomenom in later years for people who find people it much convenient and easy just to buy rather then having to cook.

The ready made foods were popular with single people. Which brings me to two important things that the menfolk had to do a week before Hari Raya. First and foremost is the outdoor lighting. When I say "outdoor lighting" it doesnt mean the electric tiny lights. It means cigarette containers filled with kerosene with wicks at the centre of the lids. The cigarette cans which contain 50 cigarettes -Brand names -example 3 FIVES, MATTERHORN,DUNHILL. These cans were available at the local Chinese shops but they had to be booked in advance as the Chinese shopkeepers takes some time to sell the cigarettes individually.The kerosine filled cans were usually placed widely apart on top of hedges or hung on wire fences.