Today is Hari Raya or Eid ul Fitr in the UK. Spiritual significance aside, I always looked forward more to Hari Raya than Deepavali. Maybe because I did not have Malay food that often and the thought of having lemang, rendang, ketupat and serunding got me quite excited and I looked forward to attending all the Hari Raya open houses hosted by friends, neighbours and colleagues of my dad. My earliest memory of a Hari Raya open house would take me back to when I was about 5 or 6 years old (about 17 years ago). It was at the home of my dad's former colleague and boss, Tengku Shamsul. It was at night and the house was beautifully lit up and food was being served all over. The guests were all having a good time and I remember chatting away with this middle aged gentleman sitting opposite me. My sister, who sat next to me, was quite quiet in contrast. Why that night remains firmly etched in memory, I do not know. Maybe it was the exotic mix of good food, warm ambience and good company that had me transfixed.. i don't know really..
Then there was Aunty Kamsiah's open house in Gombak. Aunty Kamsiah was also a former colleague of my dad. I remember her open house because it is the first time i actually recollect enjoying rendang. Somehow the house was quite empty when I arrived (maybe because we arrived late), but Aunty Kamsiah and her family were really hospitable. They made us feel welcome and we were treated to a sumptuous feast of rendang, ketupat, and other Raya goodies which I relished with utter delight.
Closer to home, there was the open house of Aunty Halimah and Uncle Shahid, our only Malay neighbours. The food here was more fusion cuisine owing to Uncle Shahid's Pakistani background. Probably one of the few open houses where one could find 'sambal udang' and "Kheer" side by side. Plus there was the added excitement of going to Aunty Halimah's house. Her house was the most tastefully decorated in our neighbourhood. Plush carpets and rugs, fine wood cabinets, and other well chosen fixtures adorned her house.
Above all, I looked forward to Hari Raya because a Hari Raya open house had a certain charm to it; a certain vibe which I found to be very unique and not quite replicated elsewhere. It probably is beyond me to explain what exactly I found so spellbinding. Maybe it was the warm courteous nature of our hosts (the Malays are well known for their amiable, courteous nature) or perhaps it was just that it was the novelty factor acting on me.. i really don't know...
Some of you may already wonder, why am I writing on this topic. Apart from today being Hari Raya, I missed out on the opportunity to attend the Malaysian High Commission Hari Raya open house in London as I had to attend a clinic with my Consultant. During the clinic, I started to reminisce about what I used to do every Hari Raya and suddenly I was overcome by a bout of of nostalgia and I decided to write this post.
To all my Muslim friends out there: Selamat Hari Raya / Eid Mubarak!
Hopefully next year I can have my share of rendang and ketupat :)
