Rain fails to dompen Idul Fitri spirit in Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): Millions of city residents marked Idul Fitri festivities on Tuesday and Wednesday by performing traditional prayers, visiting others to ask forgiveness and flocking to major recreation areas to unwind with family and friends despite the rain.

The capital, famed for its continual bustle, became eerily quiet on Tuesday morning as Muslims visited mosques and designated public spaces to say their prayers to mark the end of the Ramadhan fasting month.

Only a handful of vehicles ventured onto the streets. Destinations could be reached in a matter of minutes, compared to long journeys in the usual traffic jams clogging local roads.

Overcast skies seemed in keeping with the solemn occasion and the messages for peace and harmony voiced by preachers.

Activities picked up later in the day as people left their homes to visit neighbors, relatives and close friends in traditional Idul Fitri greetings of asking forgiveness for any past wrongs.

On-duty soldiers met with their wives and children at security posts in several parts of the city, including the House of Representatives, Surapati Park and the National Monument Park, all in Central Jakarta.

The troops were overjoyed by the visits. Some said they were thankful they could be reunited with their families at Idul Fitri despite the country's economic and security woes.

"Thank God, we can celebrate the festive season even in a modest way. The most important thing is that we can ask for forgiveness from each other here," one of the soldiers was quoted by Antara as saying.

Families looked for ways to relax together with offices and businesses closed. However, many kept the celebrations low-key due to economic woes.

Favorite spots despite rainfall in the morning and on Wednesday were the inexpensive Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Ragunan Zoo and Taman Impian Jaya Ancol.

Thousands of people -- many in new clothes, shoes or sandals -- packed themselves onto trucks, motorbikes and pedicabs to reach their destinations as public transportation was scarce. They seemed unfazed by the rain as they went out to celebrate.

Many found themselves braving downpours as they waited in queues, including at Ragunan Zoo in South Jakarta.

Kusyati, 18, who jumped off a truck which carried her from Bantar Gebang in Bekasi, West Java, said the wait was unpleasant but worth it to celebrate.

"I've celebrated the holiday here in the past two years as the park's entrance ticket is quite cheap," said the Tangerang shoe factory worker.

Entrance is Rp 1,000 per person.

On Wednesday the zoo swarmed with people in private vehicles and other transportation, including horse-drawn buggies and vans, which created a chaotic traffic situation.

At least 12 children were reported lost over a two-hour period.

Head of the zoo's general affairs department Allen Marbun said the management was forced to let cars enter the park due to their sheer number.

Visitor totals reached about 60,000 on Wednesday, a sharp increase from 33,447 on Tuesday, he said.

Rain did not keep people away from Taman Mini Indonesia Indah.

TMII spokesman Dandoel Hardoyono said the number of visitors was predicted to double from last year's 76,305 people.

Thousands of people were forced to queue for hours to enter each game arena.

Rosmalining, 58, a visitor from Cisalak, Bogor, waited for her two grandchildren and eight of her employees who had been trying to obtain tickets for cable cars for about two hours.

"I then decided to come here to wait for them while they played," said the owner of a Padang food stall who annually treats her employees to outings at the city's amusement parks.

At Ancol Dreamland Park in North Jakarta, chronic traffic congestion also occurred on surrounding streets like Jl. R.E Martadinata and Jl. Gunung Sahari Raya due to the many visitors heading there.

Hundreds of vehicles were trapped in a long queue as about 150,000 people lined up to enter the park. It was similarly crowded inside the park.

People also flocked to public cemeteries, including in Tanah Kusir, Karet Bivak, Batu Ceper Ampu and Kemiri, to pray at relatives' graves.

Touching reunions were played out at Cipinang and Salemba penitentiaries, from which 19 prisoners were freed on Tuesday and another nine were scheduled to be released the next day.

"Religious values should be implemented in our daily lives so that the newly freed prisoners will not come back here again," Minister of Justice Muladi said during his visit to the Cipinang penitentiary on Tuesday.

The penitentiary extended visiting hours by half an hour during Idul Fitri.

At the Tangerang Women's Penitentiary, inmate Herawati, 35, was saddened that her children and family from Palembang, South Sumatra, did not visit her.

"My children, Rican, 7 and Hendrik, 6, have not visited during the last three Idul Fitris. They probably have no money to travel here."

She is serving a 12-year jail term for the death of her husband. She spent two years in a penitentiary in her hometown but was moved to Tangerang three years ago.

Novi Setiawan, 15, expressed similar feelings of loneliness at the Tangerang Children's Penitentiary, Antara reported.

"I'm nobody's child now. My father died on Jan. 10 last year, while my stepmother ... she is the one who caused me to be jailed over the theft of Rp 10,000," he said. (ind/hhr)