My Raya stint-Touch & Go-part 3

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5th Oct 2008 (Sunday)

The whole family woke up early. Mak Ngah was already busy preparing breakfast (just hot Milo, though) in the kitchen. Since there were 9 of us, we all had to wait for turns to shower. I decided to take another quick shut eye before mine comes. ;) 

We all then bid farewell to Mak Ngah. She looked so sad that we're leaving. She would be all alone again in her house. She really looked happy when we decided to stay the night at her house. 

We told Mak Ngah that we will be visiting our relative's graves this morning n our way back to Muar. Mak Ngah gave us the direction to the Muslim cemetary at Jalan Bahar. 

Muslim cemetary at Jalan Bahar

The whole stretch of Jalan Bahar area was quite secluded. People don't usually visit this area. There was still quite a lot of greenery in its surroundings. Also, I noticed that there were cemetaries of different faiths located along the road. Christian, Hindu, Baha'i, etc. You name it, they've got it all here in multi religious Singapore. 

A budhist cemetary lies besides the Muslim cemetary where my relative's are buried. 

The graves are numbered and are clustered according to blocks. There was block 1 Lane 1 and so forth. 

Hmm...seems easy. 

There were already quiet a number of cars parked alongside the narrow road encircling the cemetary. People parked haphazardly along the road, and this caused a mini traffic jam. Urgh...selfish 'living' people! 

We arrived at block 16 where Grandpa Musiran and Uncle Mamat and Wak Esah is buried. We then spread out to find those graves. Not an easy thing to do because the graves were not clearly numbered and there is no map of the block that shows how the graves were positioned. 

We found Grandpa Musiran's first. My 2nd brother had to do some explaining to his newly married wife, of who is who. A crash course for her, but I think that an old family photo would have been a big help if only we'd remember to bring it along. 

We then offered Al-Fatihah, and Mom poured water on the grave. Mom then asked for her, err, sunglasses. Looking puzzled, I look up at my 3rd brother. He must have noticed of my expression and he then explained, in hushed tones that Mom just wanted the sunglasses to conceal her tears. True enough that as soon as she put on the glasses, the whole family then started to hear her sob. 

Boy, that one was fast! We siblings just look on without saying nothing. 

                                  

We then moved on to Wak Mamat's; Mom's elder brother. Again, we all helped to pluck the weed from his grave and offered some prayers. Then we searched for Wak Esah (Wak Mamat's wife) and repeat the same routine. 

Us family then moved to a different block where Nenek Jemah and Nenek N'cah (Nenek Jemah's elder sister) was buried. We repeated the same routine. 

All along, Mom's tears never stopped rolling.      

At the same time, I was reflecting on my own self. My own death, those of my parent's, those of my sibling's and close friend's. I guess thats one of the hikmahs of visiting the graves. It helps you remember that life is short and sooner or later, we will all die.

Insaflah sekejap. 

After we've finished our 2nd bottle of water, we've finished visiting the grave's of our closest family. We then made it slowly to our cars. I can't help noticing some 'interesting' things along the way.

There was a family who was burning incense on the graves! Incense!! I thought that only Budhists  do that! 

I also noticed that some families came and put up a small,colourfull windmill on the grave. This is new! Don't ask me whats the windmill is for...

                                         mini windmills on the grave. notice the name Hjh Burok?

I also couldn't help but noticed the 'unique' names of the deceased. There was a Hjh Siam, Hjh Busok, etc. 

Me and my sisters was enjoying ourselves looking for the most unique names on the block. Dad explained that in the old days, Malay people tend to purposely named their child with 'bad' names in order to keep their child from harm's way. For example, if the child is beautiful, the family would named her 'Burok' (ugly) so as to protect her from evil eyes, etc. 

Omoshiroi...

My younger sister than asked my Dad what will he named her if we were born in the old days? My Dad pondered for a while, and casually said; BACIN, before laughing all the way to the car. I just smiled at this little clown family of mine... 

We then continued with our journey back to Malaysia.

                                                                                                        ...to be continued