Jakarta turned 482 on Monday, and Indonesians across the city flocked to festivals and events on the weekend to celebrate the history of the bustling capital.

Legend has it that in 1527, Fatahillah, a fighter from Demak in Central Java, attacked and conquered the Sunda Kelapa harbor on June 22, renaming it Jayakarta.

During the Dutch occupation, Jayakarta was known as Batavia, before finally Jakarta, or Djakarta based on traditional spelling, became the official title of Indonesia's capital city.

Jakarta heart and soul is in its multicultural makeup, with Chinese, Indians, Arabs, Portuguese adding to the numerous ethnicities from across the archipelago to fuse the city's unique identity.

Several of these cultures can be seen in all their color and grandeur at festivals across the city which run during the anniversary period: Pasar Baru Festival, Batavia Art Festival, Jakarta 10k, Jakarta Great Sales, Kite Festival, Jakarta Fair and many others.

The fairs and the festivals are always welcomed by Jakartans from all walks of life, especially students, who welcome an extended holiday every June and July.

So, forget about all the traffic and the pollution, if only just for a brief moment.

Grab some food, indulge in a bit of shopping, take a moment to enjoy the kites and fireworks and revel in the music and arts Jakarta has to offer.

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