[Kabar-indonesia] Lombok's Sasaks visit tomb, eat treats in second Lebaran

[Joyo at aol.com]

The Jakarta Post
Wednesday, November 1, 2006

Lombok's Sasaks visit tomb, eat treats in second Lebaran

Panca Nugraha, The Jakarta Post, Mataram

Thousands of people from Lombok's Sasak community celebrated
the breaking of a second fast on Tuesday, during the
colorful Lebaran Topat festival held at Batulayar village,
two kilometers from the Senggigi tourist resort.

The ritual, which sees the cooking and eating of the
traditional Lebaran ketupat (parcels of rice in coconut
leaves), was opened by West Lombok Deputy Regent Izzul Islam
and attended by West Nusa Tenggara Governor HL Serinata and
other high-ranking government officials.

The event has been observed by the Sasak Muslim community
since the 18th century and ends the week-long Syawal fast
that begins on the second day of Idul Fitri.

"The festival is held as a mark of gratitude to God that
Muslims have accomplished their fast in the month of
Ramadhan and the optional but meritorious sunnah fast over
Syawal," HL Suhaemi, a Sasak cultural observer, told The
Jakarta Post.

Suhaemi said previously the Lebaran Topat was better known
as Lebaran Kiai because only the kiai, or religious
scholars, usually performed the Syawal fast.

On the morning of Lebaran Topat, Lombok residents attend
rowah prayers at mosques on the island and then leave for
the Makam Batu Layar cemetery in Senggigi.

"This is the nyangkar, or devotional visit to the tomb ...
of Syekh Sayid Duhri Al Haddad Al Harram, a noted Islamic
missionary on Lombok," he said.

The cemetery is located along the highway to the Senggigi
tourist resort and the highly visible ceremony often
attracts overseas visitors.

People usually sprinkle water on the tomb taken from the
Lingkuk Mas well located inside the cemetery and then
participate in the Bejanjam, washing their faces and
drinking the water from the well.

"Bejanjam is expressing your wishes and vows, or it can also
mean parents giving advice to their children, hoping that
they will be pious after performing the nyangkar," Suhaemi
said.

This year's nyangkar was attended by Izzul Islam and his
entourage who went to the cemetary by cidomo, a traditional
horse-drawn carriage.

"This Sasak cultural festival has become a tourist event in
West Lombok. We use the cidomo now, instead of motorized
vehicles, because we want to revive the distinctiveness of
nyangkar," Izzul said.
The West Lombok regency has encouraged tourists to attend
the celebration since 1985.

Since then, local people have begun bringing food from their
homes to eat at the festival, mostly ketupat dishes.

After participating in the nyangkar, devotees usually spend
time relaxing on Senggigi beach with their families.

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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