By JANIE TAN POO CHOO
In this article by Janie Tan Poo Choo who enjoys writing recollects how she tried to fast along with her Muslim classmates.
KUALA LUMPUR: Every year as the month of Ramadan approaches, I would feel nostalgic as I recollect my childhood, especially that part of my life when I was in primary school.
I tried to fast along with my Muslim classmates but could only manage to abstain from food and drink for half a day. I was nine years old then and in Standard Three. I was the only Chinese pupil in my class. I fasted on the 10th day of Ramadan. My throat became so dry that I thought it was going to “crack” and it was only 1 pm.
When I sought permission to return home, some of my friends laughed at me. The truth was, I was overcome by hunger and thirst and wanted to go home to “break” my fast.
I would smile to myself as I reminisce my school days and my Ramadan experiences. I have so many memories of them.
Each time I take a trip down memory lane, I would feel a sense of joy and gratitude.
I still remember the headmistress of Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Selayang (in Selangor) where I studied. Her name was Hajah Jessimah Haji Mohd Deen and she was later transferred to Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Kampung Tunku. Zarina, Nik, Shamsiah and Tanggamah were the names of some of my classmates.
I wonder where they are now.
I am sure the Muslim communities of Malaysia and other countries are busy making all the necessary preparations for Ramadan so that they are ready to fulfill all their obligations associated with the holy month.
They would start the day with ‘sahur’ or the pre-dawn meal and end it with the ‘tarawih’ prayers. In fact, some of them would even pray at midnight.
Some of my friends have told me that they enjoyed the ‘sahur’ meals cooked by their mothers and that it kept their hunger pangs away the whole day while they fasted.
Another thing I like about the fasting month is the Ramadan bazaar. I used to visit those bazaars at the Selayang market or at Jalan Ipoh, here, and look out for my favourite foodstuff like prawn fritters, ‘pisang goreng’, ‘kuih seri muka’, ‘apam balik’, ‘akok’ and ‘ayam percik’.
These bazaars are not only filled with Muslims in search of delicacies to break their fast with but also non-Muslims who are attracted to the large number of stalls there that offer a variety of appetising fare.
One can also see people of all races seated at food stalls and joking with each while they wait to break their fast. It is things like these that give me a warm feeling as only in Malaysia do we get to see something so unique.
About a week before Aidilfitri, most shops at shopping malls will start offering sales or discounts on a large scale. Some would offer discounts of up to 70 to 80 per cent, attracting not only Muslim shoppers but also non-Muslims like me.
Then comes the traditional ‘Balik Kampung’ rush. Roads and highways are chock-a-block with vehicles as Muslims return to their kampung and non-Muslims take advantage of the public holidays to visit their hometowns.
The roads may be congested but they don’t complain because they are eager to return to their village – their eyes keep reflecting images of their loved ones waving at them.
When I was a schoolgirl, I used to wait for night to fall during Ramadan as that was when the Muslim families in the kampung in Selayang, where my family and I also stayed, would decorate their lawns with oil lamps. I enjoyed looking at the flickering lamps.
Oil lamps are not a common sight these days as the people prefer to illuminate the darkness of the night with decorative lights powered by electricity.
In my opinion, Muslims who fast during Ramadan are a resilient lot and driven by their strong faith. But I feel that the struggle to fight off all those cravings is hardly comparable to the joy they feel when they get together with their families to celebrate Aidilfitri.
During Aidilfitri, I would look forward to visiting my friends and teachers who would host open houses.
I still remember visiting the home of one of my teachers who invited me to her house. Knowing that I was a Buddhist and did not eat beef, she prepared some special dishes for me. Her thoughtfulness touched my heart and I felt so grateful for having a teacher who was so loving and caring.
When visiting my friends during Aidilfitri, I would make a beeline for the ‘ketupat’ and chicken ‘rendang’ as these were my favourite dishes.
Now as I grow older, it is these childhood memories of Ramadan that help enrich my life. If given the chance, I would want to enjoy my childhood experiences again but I know this is impossible.
I would like to wish all Muslims, ‘Selamat Menyambut Ramadan’ and ‘Selamat Berpuasa’. – Bernama
