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Torchlight parade to welcomes Ramadan in several parts of Indonesia (Photo : Archive) - 

VOInews, Banda Aceh : The holy month of Ramadan is getting closer and all Muslims in various parts of the world are starting to prepare themselves to welcome it.

The various cultures and tribes in Indonesia have resulted in the emergence of various traditions of welcoming Ramadan in each region with their own characteristics. The tradition of welcoming Ramadan is passed down from generation to generation as an effort to preserve culture and customs.

This tradition certainly has a deep meaning which aims to purify oneself, forgive each other, pray for each other and build friendship in welcoming the holy month.

In Aceh there is a tradition called Meugang. This tradition is to welcoming Ramadan in Aceh. It has been embedded in the lives of the people of Aceh since the time of the Aceh Darussalam kingdom, lasting since the 14th century.

The meugang tradition is an activity of cooking beef, goat or buffalo in each house the day before the month of Ramadan begins. This meat dish is enjoyed by all family members, relatives, even orphans together.

Traditions are not only carried out when welcoming the month of Ramadan but also when welcoming Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr. This aims to strengthen relationships between people through important religious moments.

Meanwhile in West Sumatera there is Malamang tradition. A unique tradition of welcoming the month of Ramadan in West Sumatra is called Malamang. The community together makes traditional food, namely lemang, with great joy. This tradition aims to maintain the value of togetherness in Minangkabau society with simple activities.

Marpangir in North Sumatra, a unique tradition in North Sumatra in welcoming the month of Ramadan is called Marpangir. Activities that involve traditional bathing where the water is mixed with leaves or spices, such as pandan leaves, lemongrass leaves, kaffir lime, flowers, ylang-ylang, lime leaves, vetiver and areca nut flowers as a fragrance ingredient. This tradition is carried out by the people of North Sumatra as a form of self-cleaning before welcoming the month of Ramadan.

Cucurak in West Java, in Sundanese means having fun and gathering with family to welcome the month of Ramadan. Cucurak is done by gathering with the family and eating together using banana leaves while sitting on the floor. The menu served is liwet rice, tempeh, salted fish as well as chili sauce and fresh vegetables. This tradition is a form of invitation to give thanks to each other for the blessings and sustenance given by God.

Padusan in Yogyakarta, welcoming Ramadhan, the people of Yogyakarta do Padusan. In Javanese, padusan comes from the word "adus" which means bathing. This tradition is carried out by soaking or bathing in wells or springs. Padusan is an effort to purify oneself, cleanse the body and soul in welcoming the holy month of Ramadan. This tradition is also an effort to self-introspection about mistakes that have been made so that carrying out worship is calmer.

Nyorog in Jakarta, the Betawi tribe or indigenous people of Jakarta preserve many of their traditions such as the Nyorog tradition. This tradition takes the form of giving or sending food parcels to older family members, such as parents or in-laws who live in different houses or to elder figures in the local area. These gifts can include sugar, coffee milk, rice, meat or various other raw food ingredients. This has more meaning than just sharing food, but also as a form of respect for elders and establishing friendship to strengthen ties of brotherhood between people.

Torch parade in Palembang, ahead of Ramadan, hundreds of students carry out a torch relay to joyfully welcome the holy month of Ramadan. The torch relay is carried out by going around the village together carrying torches and chanting prayers at night. When hundreds of students carry out a torchlight parade at night with prayers and blessings, it indicates that the holy month of Ramadan is getting closer. In this activity, the enthusiasm of the community was also great by watching the unique tradition of the torch relay before Ramadan//ANTARA-VOI