T

he capital looked different on the eve of Idul Adha (Islamic Day of Sacrifice) on Monday night as thousands of people, from all walks of life, gathered at the city'€™s main thoroughfares and the National Monument (Monas) for an event called the '€œJakarta Night Religious Festival'€.

While the festival provided more room to the public to gather and take a break from their daily routines, it also prevented the occupation of the city'€™s roads by small groups of people, who used to throng the roads in a motorcade that risked endangering themselves and other road users.

Participants of the festival held a long march from the Dukuh Atas area on Jl. Sudirman to Jl. MH Thamrin in Central Jakarta, the march featured Islamic musicians, dozens of stages and a parade of 1,000 bedug (large drums). The event peaked at Monas, where the main stage was erected.

Governor Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo refused to call the event, jointly organized by the Jakarta city government and the Religious Affair Ministry, a feast. Instead he labeled the gathering syiar (spreading religious values). Whatever the name was however, the event saw a huge turnout in its inception and may draw more audience in the years to come.

 The festival seemed like another merriment the city residents could enjoy. Only a few weeks ago the government kicked off the PKL (street vendors) Night Market, also around Monas. The night market has now become a regular event every Saturday night. In July, the city government held the Monas Fair, which was designed as an alternative to the Jakarta Fair that was regularly organized in conjunction with the Jakarta anniversary.

The events, which had been held in public spaces, are accessible to everybody and are a testament to the city government'€™s pro-people approach. More than that, the impact of the festivals on the city'€™s economy, particularly the small and micro enterprises, is real. The events give them opportunity to market their products.

Given the enthusiastic response of the public to the religious festival, the Jakarta city government, in cooperation with other parties, needs to organize such an event more frequently, if necessary on the eve of non-Islamic major holidays in recognition of the city'€™s diversity.

In the future, the Jakarta Religious Night Festival, if well organized and promoted, could lure tourists to the city. Meanwhile, the PKL Night Market could be spread to the five municipalities across the city.

The area around Monas is certainly too small to accommodate all small and micro enterprises wishing to sell their products, whilst distance may prevent people living far away from Central Jakarta from visiting the night market.

The only worry of organizing an event that brings in a huge crowd is the garbage left behind, which will give a headache to the sanitary agency workers and street sweepers. It will be an extra job of the government to keep the city clean after the party is over.