Lebaran Day, The Biggest Moslem Festival

Selamat Idul Fitri 1431 H. Mohon maaf lahir dan bathin.

The phrases above is a common greeting in Lebaran Day. Lebaran Day, or Idul Fitri, as most Muslim call it, is the biggest festival in Islamic rituals. Lebaran Day is a wrap-up of Ramadhan, the fasting month. It comes as the Ramadhan finishes.

Lebaran Day comes on different date of the year, according to Gregorian calendar. Since Islamic calender is lunar and Gregorian calender is solar, Ramadhan is set according to the phases of the moon, it starts on different date each year in Gregorian calender. It usually shifts in every ten or eleven days from one year to another according to Gregorian calendar. In 2010 Ramadhan starts on August 11, finished on Sept 9, so Lebaran Day starts on Sept 10. In 2011, Ramadhan will start on about August 1, which is ten days earlier than it does in 2010, and so will Lebaran Day. And so, in 2012, Ramadhan will start on about July 20, and so on.

Hence if the Idul Fitri falls in the first ten days of a Gregorian calendar year, there will be a second Idul Fitri in the last week of the same Gregorian calender year. The Gregorian date may vary between countries depending on the local sightability of the new moon. Some expatriate Muslim communities follow the dates as determined for their home country, while others follow the local dates of their country of residence. (en.wikipedia.org)

For Muslim people in Indonesia, Lebaran Day is the righteous time to reunite. Those who live far away from their parents, working or studying, come home at Lebaran Day. So do Krui pople. That’s why, one week prior to Lebaran Day the traffics all over Indonesia  are very busy, people moves back home from their dwelling place. And busy traffics will only last at least one week after the first Lebaran Day (1 Syawal).

Pantai Labuhan Jukung at Lebaran Day, Sept. 11, 2010
(day 2)

Pantai Labuhan Jukung at Lebaran Day, Sept. 11, 2010
(day 2)

Pantai Labuhan Jukung at Lebaran Day, Sept. 12, 2010
 (day 3)

Additionally, in Indonesia Idul Fitri has a legally mandated salary bonus for all employees, known as Tunjangan Hari Raya (THR) as enforced by Indonesia's Department of Labour, Employment and Society ("Departemen Pengawasan Dinas Tenaga Kerja dan Sosial"). The mandated amount of this salary bonus differs by region. For example, within the Jakarta region the THR bonus must be at least Rp 1 million but not less than one month's full salary paid in advance of Idul Fitri, in addition to the employee's regular salary. Thus, Idul Fitri is also a paid holiday. Breaching or withholding THR is a very serious labour law infraction and punished severely, regardless of employer status or position. (en.wikipedia.org)

Tunjangan Hari Raya (the bonus) is one factor that makes Lebaran Day more lively. The more bonus they get, the more they’ll enjoy the Lebaran Day.

Traffic in Krui at Lebaran Day, Sept. 12, 2010 

(day 3)

Traffic in Krui at Lebaran Day, Sept. 11. 2010
(day 2)

Traffic in Krui at Lebaran Day, Sept. 11, 2010
(day 2)

Shopping malls and bazaars are usually filled with people days ahead of Idul Fitri, which creates a distinctive festive atmosphere throughout the country, along with traffic mayhem. Many banks, government and private offices are closed for the duration of the Lebaran festivities. (en.wikipedia.org)

In Krui, Lebaran Day is about people flocks by the beach or on the street, by car or by bikes, and music concerts that block the main road, almost everywhere you go. Since Krui is a tourist destination, for foreigners or locals, thousand of people from the towns nearby come to Krui in Lebaran Day, by bikes or by pick-up trucks. The traffic is about four or fivefold busier than the regular day.

If you manage to ride your bike during these days, you will probably be amazed by how busy the traffic is, compared to any regular days, and it will be a bit harder to move among those torrents of bikes and pick-up trucks with folks sitting at the back.

If you stay in Karang Nyimbur or around, you will probably pass many music concerts spots on your way up north or down south. South areas of Krui (Selatan) is the place where most music concerts take place at Lebaran Day festival. If you enjoy watching live music concerts, you can throw away your surfboard for a while and join the local people singing and dancing on the street.

Selamat Idul Fitri 1431 H. Mohon maaf lahir dan bathin.