Torch parade sweeps away divisiveness

Torch parade sweeps away divisiveness

At least 300 young people carrying torches and chanting praise to
God on malam takbiran (the eve of Idul Fitri) marched along the
alleys of Kauman subdistrict, Pasar Kliwon, Surakarta, Central
Java, becoming the main attraction as they crossed the streets.

Most of them raised their oncor (bamboo torches) in their
hands to light the way on the rainy night, while continually
chanting takbir (praising God's name). Like hundreds of small
dragons flying around, as they sputtered and gave off steam in
the cold rain, the torches in the hands of the young people
continuously lit up their faces.

While reciting takbir, some of them hit rebana (small drums)
to guide the recital. The rhythm thus created blended with the
sound of falling rain, blocking out the noise from the busy
shopping area in the neighborhood, which was serving customers
prior to the celebration of Idul Fitri.

The rain, which became heavier as the night went on, as though
trying to wash away the parade of these little flames, eventually
surrendered to the spirit and excitement, fading to a drizzle and
leaving only traces of wet ground all over the alleys.

While walking on, the boys and girls laughed with each other
and recited even more loudly. Ignoring their wet clothes and
bodies, their happy faces shone brightly, impressing onlookers
with the joyousness of the parade.

The boys and girls from seven different musholla (prayer
houses) in the community had come together on the rainy evening
of Nov. 23 in a show of solidarity, despite a dispute raging
among local religious leaders over the exact date of the holiday
that marks the end of the fasting month, Ramadhan.

"We don't care about the differences between us, or whether
you are Muhammadiyah, Nadhatul Ulama or other group members. We
just want to celebrate this happy night together. We haven't
staged this parade for years. It's great fun to witness this kind
of excitement among us," said one of the participants.

The seven musholla in Kauman managed to arrange the oncor
parade to bring the tradition alive. It carries many different
interpretations. Some people say the parade originated at a time
when no electricity existed in the city. Some say the fire
symbolizes the victory of truth over evil. It will throw off the
darkness, which represents evil.

"We are not sure about the roots of the tradition. All we know
is that the activity can bring us together and enable us to
forget our differences. Moreover, it is fun and attracts many
participants," said Mufidz Aryono, a committee member of the
parade.

As night rolled on, group after group went back to its
respective musholla to concentrate on recital activities inside
the building. However, the laughter and joy of the children and
teenagers was still felt around the neighborhood. The night was
very clear after the rain, as if the activity had cleared away
the darkness.

Still, the question haunting these youngsters is whether the
echo of the activity can reach the leaders as a bottom-up signal
to them about what could happen next year if disagreements flare
up again.

"We hope that we can participate in the same activity next
year; this togetherness will be the spark to reconcile our
leaders. But what can we do if they decide to celebrate Idul
Fitri on different days?" Mufidz asked in frustration.

The answers could be found in the louder and louder takbir
heard at each musholla in the neighborhood, while across the
street customers began leaving the shopping centers to prepare
for Idul Fitri the next day. -- Abdul Khalik