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