Jakarta -- a city of contrasting moods

JAKARTA (JP): The hustle and bustle of Tanah Abang market contrasted greatly with Kota, the city's Chinatown, which was virtually deserted yesterday.

As Moslems did last minute Idul Fitri shopping in Tanah Abang, the minority Chinese community in the city celebrated at home to mark the coming of the Year of the Ox.

Many of the wealthier Chinese had already flown to countries like Singapore, Hong Kong and Taipei where lunar new year celebrations were more festive and included the lion dance.

In Jakarta, in conforming with Governor Surjadi Sudirdja's appeal, the new year was more a family affair, mostly celebrated solemnly among close relatives and friends within the confines of people's homes.

There were no street parades or dances that one would find in Singapore, Hong Kong and even Kuala Lumpur and San Francisco's Chinatown.

Most shops lining Jl. Gajah Mada and Jl. Hayam Wuruk leading to Kota were closed. Gajah Mada Plaza and other shopping centers in the area were opened but attracted few shoppers.

The roads were devoid of the congestion that normally chokes the two roads day and night.

The few open stores, mostly selling textiles, stood out.

"My boss asked me to open the shop, maybe he anticipated shoppers as Lebaran (Idul Fitri) approaches," Liem Hok Liong, an employee of a textile shop, said.

Petak Sembilan, famous for its street market, remained crowded but mostly by people selling Chinese New Year ornaments. Chinese songs blaring out from some kiosk and the fragrance of burning joss sticks made the new year atmosphere complete.

The fragrance was even stronger in nearby Dharma Bhakti Buddhist temple, the oldest temple in Kota, as devotees entered, lit joss sticks, prayed, and then left.

"Few people come here everyday. But their number increased at new year," a temple guard said.

The guard helped a young couple release dozens of sparrows.

"This symbolizes throwing away last year's bad fortunes," he said, adding that the number of birds must at least equal the age of the person who releases them. (05)