Idul Fitri travelers make hay while the sun shines

By Stevie Emilia

JAKARTA (JP): Packed train stations are a common sight these days as people get ready to leave town to celebrate Idul Fitri back home.

And as part of the annual tradition, the revelers usually bring "a little something" with them -- neatly packed in large boxes or heavy bags -- for their families and relatives.

These "little somethings" actually get in the way of other travelers, especially when they're rushing, sweating and fighting their way to get onto the train.

But it seems like none of the revelers care much about these problems. The boxes and bags are usually filled with new clothes, shoes, toys and food; some even go as far as bringing new television sets, sound systems and electric fans for the celebration of Idul Fitri, which marks the end of the fasting month.

Yenny, for one, was struggling hard to find space among waiting passengers at Gambir station, Central Jakarta. She wasn't only carrying a bag, but also a box which appeared too big for her to carry on her own.

She had filled the box with various kinds of imitation jewelry she planned to sell to her neighbors in her hometown of Indramayu, West Java.

"Women in my hometown like to appear wah (glamorous), they like showing off when visiting their relatives or neighbors after the Idul Fitri prayer," the 28-year-old woman said on Tuesday, while waiting for the Cirebon Express that would take her home.

The housekeeper, who works for a couple in the Pasar Minggu area in South Jakarta, was able to go on with her plan after saving most of her Rp 150,000 monthly salary.

She spent around Rp 750,000 on the jewelry in Mangga Dua shopping center. She bought a set of jewelry, comprising a pair of earrings, a necklace and a bracelet, for Rp 35,000. "I want to make a 100 percent profit," said Yenny.

She was optimistic that her neighbors would be willing to buy the jewelry since many of them had sold their own gold jewelry to help support their families.

"I'm sure they still want to look good for Idul Fitri. Besides, buying imitation stuff from me is much cheaper than buying a whole set of real gold jewelry. And my imitation jewelry looks real," Yenny said, promoting her merchandise.

She said the money raised from selling the jewelry would go to her parents. "My father only owns a small rice field and he's going to need support raising my little siblings," said the fourth of seven children, who will return to her employers a week after Idul Fitri.

Like it or not, for some people Idul Fitri is also the time when they like to dress up in new clothes and accessories.

This habit inspired Karim Abdullah, a native of Purwokerto, Central Java, to bring home famous brand fake perfumes that he will sell to his friends and neighbors.

"My sisters will help me to sell these perfumes," Karim pointed to a carefully wrapped box, while sitting leisurely on the station floor with other passengers.

He said the idea first came to him after seeing many sidewalk vendors offering branded fake perfumes at cheap prices -- about Rp 25,000 for a medium-sized bottle.

"I think that wearing new clothes will not be good enough without having perfume to go with them," the 27-year-old employee of a photocopy store said, explaining his decision to sell perfume.

For the plan, Karim spent Rp 500,000 of his savings buying fake perfumes from a sidewalk vendor in the Blok M area of South Jakarta.

He is planning to sell the perfume at Rp 50,000 per bottle in his hometown. "I'll use the money to celebrate Idul Fitri with my family and to buy a ticket back to Jakarta," Karim said.

The habit of wearing new clothes for Idul Fitri also opened up an opportunity for Sutrisno to have a decent Idul Fitri celebration with his family back home in Blitar, East Java.

He was carrying two huge boxes consisting of Muslim female dresses that he planned to sell to his neighbors.

"I sent four boxes by mail last month. But my wife said she still needed more," said the marketing employee, who was looking forward to spending time with his two children.

He said buyers were already waiting for the dresses, mostly simple long skirts and dresses along with matching head scarfs, which he had bought in Tanah Abang market for Rp 40,000. His most expensive piece of merchandise, embroidered outfits, cost him Rp 60,000 each.

"I only buy small amounts of expensive clothes. People don't like to buy them much, they like the cheaper ones," he explained.

Sutrisno said he did not expect too much profit from the dresses that cost him over Rp 5 million in all. He sells the simple Muslim dress for Rp 50,000 and the better quality ones for Rp 75,000.

Sutrisno, who also did the same business last Idul Fitri, said it would be no problem carrying those huge boxes with him on a crowded train.

"My profit will be enough to buy new clothes for my children and to prepare food for Idul Fitri. I'll get my investment back, maybe for next year."