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One day of Ramadhan in Jakarta
As the country with the world's largest Muslim population, roughly 209 million Indonesians are observing the holy month of Ramadhan, which this year started on June 29
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s the country with the world's largestMuslim population, roughly 209 million Indonesians are observing the holy monthof Ramadhan, which this year started on June 29.
Every year during Ramadhan, Muslims fast from dawn until sunset, attempt to control emotional outbursts and refrain from engaging in sexual relations.
Due to many people not consuming food or drinking liquids, most food establishments are either closed during the day or keep their front doors and windows covered so as not to tempt Muslims who are fasting. Instead, they open in the early morning for sahur (pre-dawn meal), and after people break their fast in the evening.
Novi, 16, who works at the 24-hour Warteg Ibu Sopi (Ibu Sopi's food stall) in Sabang, Central Jakarta, told The Jakarta Post that during the Ramadhan month, the food stall was always packed from 2:30 a.m. to 3:30 a.m., during sahur.
"We make fried foods and omelets at around midnight, and start cooking [other food] at 1:30 a.m.," she said on Friday.
After sahur, Muslims often flock to mosques to conduct their morning prayers with their families and friends to start the day.
During the day, special markets pop up selling a wide variety of foods that people can bring home and enjoy as iftar, the meal to break the fast. These markets, such as the one at Bendungan Hilir, Central Jakarta, open at around 10 a.m. and close at around 6:30 p.m., just a little after sunset.
"The daily income is never fixed ['¦] sometimes its crowded and sometimes there are hardly any people. On average, however, I make around Rp 2 million [US$173] to 3 million every day," Eko, one of the sellers at the market, said on Thursday.
Meanwhile, malls are a hotbed for people passing the time before breaking the fast at the wide range of stores and entertainment centers. It is also common to see people sitting around in restaurants or food courts one or two hours before sunset to make sure that they have a place to sit in the already crowded malls.
Students Rivka and Fia told the Post that they had been sitting at the food court since 4 p.m. and often went to the mall to buy iftar.
"Usually we just sit and talk here [while waiting]," Fia said at Senayan City, Central Jakarta, while Rivka added that they would sometimes work on their assignments.
For breaking the fast, the mall often provides free tajil (sugary snacks and beverages to break the fast), before customers enjoy their meals and conduct their evening prayers. (fss)
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