MORE ROUNDS OF VISITING

JOM JALAN-JALAN


Needless to say, the Hari Raya visiting will go on till almost all relatives' houses are covered. We usually would visit the elders' house first as a show of respect before knocking on the cousins', friends' or neighbours' doors.

Some coordination has to take place especially on what route to take so as to minimise the travelling time and what back-up plan to activate if the host of the intended house you are visiting has left for his hari raya visiting too.

Check out the slide show to see what happen when we Jom Jalan-Jalan Cari Kueh Raya!

COUSINHOOD

THOSE WERE THE DAYS...


My cousin and I spent most of childhood and teenagehood days at 1 Jalan Madrasah. Those were one of our happiest moments. I added below our conversation through mails as now many of us are scattered all over the world. But distance is not an excuse for us not to keep in touch. We have got technology to thank for shrinking the world and keeping us connected.
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Extract from Haslina's mail
Love the pics!!!
OMG!!....look at all of us !!.......young and INNOCENT!!
Now......still young but not so innocent!!...LOL!!
Thanks Zul!!
BTW.....I know Tipah is the fairest!!....but she must put some additional 'tepong' on that cute face!!
She look too damn white!!!.....LOL!!

LOve to ALL
Haslina


Photo taken in 1966

BLOOD AND TIES

Numerous abrassions on my hands and knees

The deep cut in my inner lips that required suturing

Contusions on my cut chin and look at the swollen lips and cheeks

The badly uneven slab that had caused me to trip

The rough edges are danger spots for walkers, especially the elderly

My forehead missed the edge of the kerb but my head hit it

My blood stains the slab even after a few days

HOPE OF RAY FOR RAYA

Dear All

I would like to record my deepest thanks to all who have shown your care and concern regarding my recent misadventure on 12 Sept, Sunday. You have either visited me, called and even texted me with your kind words and wishes for my speedy recovery.

When I fell headlong and landed flat faceward, I thought I was dead. I felt my soul leaving my body for a few seconds. I had tripped on an uneven perforated concrete slab at the car park and landed chin first and shoulder next. The slab had uneven and rough edges due to being run over numerous times by vehicles that had parked there and with the soil in between the holes depressed due to erosion and the harsh weather.

There was nothing I could grab to break my fall. The carpark lots of 206 and 205 were free of cars that morning. If there had been cars at the lot, I could have stopped my fall by holding to their sides. My forehead had missed the edge of a concrete kerb pavement by inches. I dread thinking of what would happen if my forehead had hit the sharp edge of the cement. Nevertheless, the top of my head did hit the edge of the kerb as there was tenderness and a bump on my crown.

My mouth hit the cold hard slab first and received the worst impact. But Allah is great. Lying on the slab for a few seconds and thinking whether God had taken my life, I tried to feel the ground. I managed to open my eyes and found my glasses intact on the bridge of my nose. They did not smash into my eyes. But there was blood on the glasses. I guess the blood from my mouth had splattered onto them. My vision was neither impaired nor blurred. That was good news for I knew instantly that my sight was not affected by the fall. I did not lose any consciousness and was aware of what had happened though my body was shaking and legs wobbly like jelly.

I covered my mouth as I saw blood stains on the concrete slab. I could feel my teeth were uneven. I flicked my tongue around the oral cavity and to my horror discovered that I had chipped some enamel. Fortunately there were no missing gaps in between the teeth except for some looseness and some incisors and canine being pushed backwards. I tried next to get up from my spread-eagle position while still carrying the plastic bags in my two hands. I had gone to the market to buy some food items for my guests who were visiting me later in the day for Hari Raya. Again I thanked Allah that the bottles I was carrying did not shatter and cut my wrists. But nothing had prepared me for my next discovery on living in harmony in Singapore.

I felt heavy while trying to upright myself because my hands and legs hurt and felt heavy like lead. All the while I was cupping my mouth as I felt warm red blood drip from my lips. An old Chinese man who was having his rest at the void deck, rushed towards my direction and asked, "Aunty, you ok?" I recognised him as I had bought a curry puff for him once. A young Chinese man squatted beside me and held me up together with the old man. The young man asked if I wanted to call my family members. They told me to calm down and take things slowly. To hear such words from strangers was truly comforting and touching. I grabbed my phone from my purse. With trembling hands I scrolled for my home number. The young man explained my situation to my hubby and requested for him to down. I managed to drag and heave myself up with the help of the men. Allahamdullilah my limbs did not suffer any fracture and I was able to walk aided by the men to the table stone under my block. They kept me company till the end.

An Indian couple came to my rescue next. They asked me if I wanted them to call for an ambulance. The wife immediately called as I signalled her to phone for 995. Talking was painful and my lips had doubled its size and turned outwards. The couple gave me their blackish-grey Adidas water tumbler for me to rinse my bloody mouth and clean away the blood on my hands. I spat out thick blood clots. Gosh! What worst could have happened, I wondered when I saw the blood clots land in the drain like pounded raspberries? The couple updated me that the ambulance would be on its way in five minutes. They too stayed although they were on their way somewhere.

A Malay housewife neared me and asked what had happened. I just managed to answer her in some sign language. Immediately she offered me her packet of tissue as I continued bleeding in my mouth, staining my pants, blouse and watch face. I had attracted a bit of a crowd by then at my own block. There were familiar and unfamiliar faces around me, all looking concern and offering me some form of comfort while I waited for my family members. It suddenly dawned into me of a topic I had taught my students - ‘Bonding.’ The HDB had introduced a policy in 1989 on ethnic integration where it puts a limit on the proportion of races in every neighbourhood and block. I realised what a beautiful place Singapore is. All races had come to my moments of need voluntarily without me asking them to render any form of assistance. My teaching had come alive for me and the integration policy had worked in my case.

By then, my hubby and sons were down looking shock at the sight of my bloody mouth. My son who had served in SCDF before checked my mouth and told me that the cut was deep and I probably would need some stitches in the inner lips. How right he was because the doctor at the A&E did suture me in the mouth. My husband was almost crying but he stood stoic and rushed up to get my IC. My sons hugged me while I became more teary. My mum rushed down with the maid too, looking daze and assured me that everything would be alright. .

When the ambulance came, the medic team whizzed me to the new Khoo Teck Huat Hospital with its siren on. My sons left in our car while my hubby hopped into the ambulance. I managed to thank all those who had come to help me before being wheeled into the ambulance. The medic monitored my vital signs and all were normal. In the A&E room, the doctor checked my body and ensured me that I did not suffer any broken bones. He sent me for a head x-ray to remove any doubts of fracture in the skull and the chin area. The report was negative. I was given tetanus and a painkiller jab. When the doctor told me that he had to stitch up my inner lips, I felt weak. But he did a quick job and it was not so painful after all. No pain is comparable to labour pain.

When my hubby heard that the doctor had requested for the head x-ray for me, he started calling my siblings. He was worried and feared the worst. I had upset my siblings' planned Raya outing and felt sorry for that. I too was not able to entertain Kaish's and Harith's family when they came down for Raya as I was still in the hospital. All in all I spent about five hours in the hospital. My siblings rescheduled their visiting plans and rushed down to see me and check on my condition. My family members waited for news at the hospital while I was placed in the observatory room. When reality finally sank in, I hyperventilated and was breathless. I had to be calmed down by the staff nurse.

I went for my dental appointment to check the status of my teeth on Monday morning. The dentist would only do the teeth work on 28 Sept as the wound and stitches in my mouth are still raw. I am not sure what they would do but I heard things like root canal if necessary. I hope my teeth would be saved and need no extraction.

As I sat to type this, my fingers, shoulders, knees, chin and teeth still ache. I have bruises all over my body and face. My lips still swell. But my heart does not ache. It is pumping and overflowing with happiness and joy. I am blessed to be surrounded by beautiful people who cared so much for me. What are some blue black marks, cuts and bruises you suffer when love and humanity override all physical pain you have?

Thank you to all and your prayers for my speedy recovery.

May Allah bless you and your family.

From
Azizah Bte Abdul Rahim and Family

A DAY OF VISITING

RAYA AGAIN

Let the pictures say how we celebrate Eid Mubarak.

SELAMAT HARI RAYA PUASA

TOGETHERNESS ON RAYA
One big and happy family

After asking for fogiveness from hubby

Thaqif and dad have a close bond

I love you sonny!

Please forgive me of my wrong doings, Dad

My boys have become men. Both brothers are close & get along well. Amin

Thaqif resembles his grand dad a litle bit

Thaqif is quiet but easy to pleased

Nizar has a kind heart and is jovial

Tini who has become like part of our family

A sad moment for us as we ask for forgiveness from each other

We appreciate what you have done for us Tini

Mum is being taken care by Tini

A mother's love is for eternity. Love you Nizar!

Love you mummy.....and may you have good health always

Father as a friend too. Thanks Dad for being there when I need you

All smiles on Raya morning

Hubby with my mum

Heaven lies under your mother's feet

Thaqif and his Nenek Sabiah. Thanks for cooking for me

Love you Nenek and thanks for taking care of me when I was young

TIME FOR FORGIVENESS & REFLECTION

After a month of fasting in Ramadhan, Muslims welcome the 1st of Syawal with a prayer in the mosque and asking for forgiveness from the loved ones. Some families would also visit the graves of their loved ones after the Hari Raya morning prayers where all mosques are full to he brim. Feasting in the form of open house and celebration continue for the whole month as relatives and friends pay a visit to one another's home.

At home, after the prayers, my family gathered together to ask for forgiveness from every member. Asking for forgiveness for our past deeds, begins with the youngest in the family begging for forgiveness from the eldest. It is a solemn and sad moment as one reflects upon the past and wrong doings in terms of 'actions and words' and vow not to repeat them. We also ask for 'halalkan' or asking for blessing for the food that we have consumed from the ones we are asking forgiveness too.

My son Nizar started the session by kneeling down and clasping his Nenek's hands to ask for forgiveness. Hugs and kisses were exchanged before he received the green packet from Nenek Sabiah. The whole procedure of asking for forgiveness from children to parents, from wife to husband, from brothers to sisters, from enemies to friends etc is a must in all Muslim households.

As for my family, the session is repeated till everyone in the house had completed their round of asking for forgiveness. Syawal hails a new beginning, a fresh chapter and a clean slate to chart one's life for the following months to come till the next Syawal arrives again.

WHETTING THE APETTITE

RAYA MASSIVE COOKING

COOKING FROM THE HEART

Raya without cooking is like having no new clothes to celebrate. I don't mean your usual daily cooking but the real massive cooking which could take weeks of preparation until straight down to the actual pounding of the ingredients and cooking in big pots and woks.

First you need to plan what to serve on the table for your loved ones, then you have to do he marketing and stocking up of your freezer before the shopkeepers escalate their prices to take advantage of the high demand and the limited supply. They sure know their economics right!

All this shuttling to the market and dragging the kilos and kilos of purchase home is another skill you must master because you have to scout for the best prices offered to get value for money for your produce and next manoeuvre your fully laden trolley expertly in the standing space wet market. Actually, there is no value for money purchased because you either have to grab what you need fast before they vanish right under your nose from another eager housewife who also needs to buy the item or every stallholder in the market has conspired against you for they are all offering the items you need at the same price. That's unity against your wallet and pocket.

I decided to cook briyani instead of my usual fare of nasi tomato and ayam merah. My search for the best and fresh ingredients brought me to Johor Bharu Smart Market, Geylang market and my ever reliable Yishun market. My maid Tini was made to sit beside me and we worked out the menu for several days, deciding what could be prepared before hand so that we would not be bogged down by cooking and holding the spatula and frying the shallots on the first day of Hari Raya.

Huge pots were taken out from underneath the sink and blending of the onions, garlic and red chilly started early. Next on the list was to prepare the pickles and the serunding which could be kept early. On the eve of the day, the real massive cooking began with six chickens thrown into the pot for the briyani. The sambal tumis was next and the best dish I love most was the sambal goreng pengantin with liver, lung, meat and prawn. Ohlalala..... I know you are screaming on top of your head as to what goes into this traditional Malay dish but once you have got it into your mouth, the smell of galangal and lemon grass tickle your tastebuds that you would forget about your mother-in-law seated in front of you. This dish goes well with lontong and rice cubes with serunding, eaten almost dry.

Cooking did not cease for me on the first day of raya. The morning was occupied in cooking the briyani rice, lodeh and my special fried-ala-Vietnam-cum-Thai prawn. To localise the taste, I added oyster sauce and stripped naked sprigs of curry leaves into the swimming prawn in the chilly padi paste. Actually I don't know where the recipe had come from except from my mind. When I cook, I just concoct my experiment on the spot, throwing dashes of ingredients that I could lay my hands on or grabbing what's available in the fridge. So if you would to aks me for the recipe, I may not be able to repeat exactly what goes into it for most of the time the creation was done on the spot.

I thought I could rest after cooking a storm in the kitchen that morning, but lo and behold there was something which had completely not crossed my mind - my special and high-in-demand sugee or semolina dessert which I prepare without fail for every raya. A quick stir of the semolina flour and full cream milk was done within a record time before the first guests streamed in.

My kitchen would not see any smoke for the next few days. I need my well-earned rest from steaming my face in front of the hot pots and pans. But heck to all of that when cooking comes from the heart for your loved ones to enjoy and appreciate the labour you have put in into the cooking.

HARI RAYA DECO

EXPRESSING MYSELF

Didn't really change much of my existing home deco this time round for Hari Raya. For one, I din't have much time to go shopping for new items and secondly the existing deco was good enough for me. I only added some items I bought from Shanghai to create my Chinese corner and a new runner from Geylang Bazaar to my floor.

As usual, got my husband to be the handyman when it came to fixing the items. Enjoy the slide show of our combined effort.

A HILLOCK GATHERING

OUR BRIEF ENCOUNTER


The gathering of four generation of the Madar Clan family
The powerful ladies of the Madar Clan

Tok Latif enjoying his tea

Mum with Hadi

Cik Munah with Manap

Cik Majid with Syukur

Cik Ansari with Rashid, our eldest cousin

With Noraini from Penang

Ratna, Ros, me and Ina

The bride and groom - Haimi and Ratih

We love all of you, Ros seems to be saying

Kak Dah, Cik Timah and Cik Amy with Hassan's wife

With more relatives from Malaysia

Manap, Rashid and Ahmad - all brothers

Having teh tarik amidst the cool evening breeze

With Datin Yati

A shot with the newly-wedded couple

Hussein and Bayah in the centre.

Shap, Hussein and Yusuf

A reunion after so many years of not meeting up

Mum, Cik Amy, Baayah and her daughter-in-law

Rashid with his bevy of lovely girls

With cousins from Penang

Lat, Hussein and Isa

The lovely new house of Hussein on top a hillock

Nani and Syukur offer us their warm hospitality at Kemensyah Heights

Two sisters, Hajjah Maimunah and Hajjah Sabiah

Peace to the world, says peace woman Ina

The familiar faces again

THE MADDENING DRIVE

The nine of us left Singapore at the unearthly hours - five minutes past midnight. Our destination - Cousin Nani's Kemenshah Heights bungalow, 255 km away, an exclusive residential area at Taman Melawati, tucked behind the KL National Zoo. We whizzed along the deserted N-S highway to catch up for a wedding high-tea reception at our Cousin Hussein's place in KL. But our first stop was Kemenshah Heights before proceeding for the reception.

Stopping at Air Keroh around 3.45am for a refresher, we had the murtabak which I had brought along. Some ordered soto and nasi lemak while others had our caffeine to pump in the adrenaline rush and to keep the eyes open for another 100km away drive.

The calling of the subuh azan welcomed us when we reached Nani's house. After a quick hello and salam, all of us headed for our long-awaited rest and slumber on a more comfortable place you and I know as a bed. We had been on the road for six hours and had not slept behind the wheel, only catching forty winks when drowsiness forcibly overtook our conscious state of the mind.

Our next drive in KL city in the evening was to Hussein's house where the tea-reception was held. That was the main highlight for the short weekend trip and getaway. It was the gathering - The Madar Clan gathering which we had been waiting for. It was time to meet up with my cousins and their children from Johor, Kluang, KL and Penang.

A close to 80 relatives had come to celebrate Hussein's son wedding on top of a hillock overlooking a golf resort. In between the prata, mee and dessert, we flitted from table to table to chat and update ourselves with the latest news. The bantering of jokes and the shrieking of our laughter enveloped the golf course. There were endless hugs and kisses when we met. It was also a tough time remembering the names of long-lost cousins whom I had not met for more than three decades.

The passage of time had changed our weight, size and looks but somehow that little flicker of recognition of the familiar faces was still present. Our conversation or more of our giggles and shrieks, took us through our mini-skirt and Elvis Presley's epok-epok hairstyle days at Haw Par Villa, Changi Beach, Katong Park and Botanical Gardens till our tudung present moment. We also ploughed through our single Beatle heydays of "Hey Jude" and Rolling Stones' "Under The Boardwalk" to the current reality that soon many of us would be expanding our family circle when our our own children would start their own family, just like what Hussein's son had done.

We truly enjoyed the meeting of uncles and aunties with their nephews and nieces, the cousins with their second-cousins and the reunion of the fourth generation of the The Madar Clan when Nazri (Ahmad's son) brought his baby. The oldest family member presence was 88 years old and the youngest a three-month old baby girl. That was a gathering of four generations of the Madar Clan family under the white marquee tent ontop of a hillock for me to remember by. The drive up to KL had been worth it. I got to catch up with Fredo & the Flintstones at Concorde as well as a short shopping trip at Masjid India.

Am loking forward to more of such nostalgic congregation of cousins whom many I had grown up with. Our last mega gathering was in 2000 at Royal Scotts.