Jakarta: The world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, Indonesia, is preparing to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan, which is anticipated to begin on Thursday, with customs and ceremonies despite rising food prices.
Every region in the vast Southeast Asian archipelago appears to have its own way of celebrating the beginning of Ramadan, showcasing the country's rich cultural heritage. Activities range from bright torchlight street parades to cleaning relatives' graves and sharing meals with family and friends.
The nation's minister of religious affairs will attempt to spot the crescent moon on Wednesday night to ascertain the date of the beginning of the holy month. The first day of Ramadan will occur the following day if the moon is not visible as anticipated.
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The majority of Indonesians, who make up nearly 90% of the 277 million people in the nation and are Muslim, are expected to observe the official date set by the government.
Ramadan will start on Thursday, according to Muhammadiyah, the second-largest Islamic organisation in Indonesia, which claims more than 60 million members.
Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, and having sex from dawn until dusk during Ramadan. The fast can be broken with just a small sip of water or a puff of smoke. Family and friends get together at night for a festive meal.
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The purpose of the fasting is to draw the faithful closer to God and to make them aware of the suffering of the underprivileged. Muslims are expected to perform their daily prayers exactly as prescribed and to reflect more deeply on their religion. Additionally, they are admonished not to engage in gossip, argument, or cursing during the holy month.
Despite having more Muslims than any other nation in the world, Indonesia's Ramadan customs have been influenced by other faiths. Nyadran is a Javanese tradition that involves paying respects at the graves of ancestors. It has strong Hindu and Buddhist influences.
Thousands of villagers from Central Java's Mount Merapi region visit cemeteries each year to welcome Ramadan. People make prayers, offerings, and clean and decorate graves as part of the ritual. After praying, they share meals that they have brought in bamboo containers.
Muslims observe the holy month by cleaning the graves of their ancestors, placing flower petals on them, and praying for the deceased in other areas of Java's main island, including in Jakarta.
Following evening prayers, a large number of boys and girls parade through the streets of the crowded neighbourhoods in Jakarta to usher in the holy month. The beat of the Arabic handheld percussion instrument known as the rebana is played while they sing Islamic songs while carrying torches.
In the fiercely conservative Aceh province of Indonesia, residents kill larger animals like oxen or buffaloes as well as smaller ones like chickens and ducks as part of Meugang celebrations marking the start of Ramadan. The meat is then cooked and shared in a communal feast intended to bring the community together with family, friends, and even the underprivileged and orphans.
In order to begin the holy fasting month with a symbolic spiritual cleansing, hundreds of residents of Tangerang, a city just outside Jakarta, throng to the Cisadane River to take a bath. This tradition involves washing one's hair with rice straw shampoo.
Ramadan starts every year about a week and a half earlier because Islam uses the lunar calendar. Muslims celebrate the joyous Eid Al-Fitr holiday at the conclusion of Ramadan, during which time kids frequently receive new clothes and presents.
According to Indonesia's Trade Ministry, rising global commodity prices and supply chain disruptions, particularly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, have caused prices of imported staple foods like wheat, sugar, beef, and soybeans to rise significantly this year.
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However, a lot of people claim that local goods like rice, eggs, chilli, palm oil, and onions are also affected by the price increase, in addition to imported foods. Prices for gas and electricity have also increased. Many hold up the government as the culprit.
Some Muslims are concerned about their ability to manage their finances this Ramadan. "Price increases occur weekly. Why is the government unable to assist with this? Anything related to cooking is growing, according to Jakartan mother-of-two Yulia Ningsih. I am concerned about how Ramadan celebrations will be impacted by rising food and energy prices.