It's Time To Forgive and Forget

A major national holiday in Indonesia, the Eid Ul Fitr or locally known as Lebaran, is taking place this month on the 17th and 18th. The holiday is celebrated by the Muslims to mark the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, and a time for people to ask for forgiveness from each other for their shortcomings. The term ‘Lebaran’ is derived from the Javanese word lebar which means finished. On the day of Lebaran, people dress in their finest clothes and attend prayers held at big mosques and/or open, large venues. On their way back home, they visit the elders and ask for forgiveness. They visit the graves of the departed ones and clean them and decorate them with flowers. Once decorated, they pray for the departed souls. The Indonesians, especially the Javanese follow the tradition of washing the headstone with scented water and sprinkle jasmine and hyacinth over the graves.