Visitors snapping photos against the pretty backdrop at 1 Utama’s Registan Square-inspired pavilion.
AS Hari Raya Aidilfitri approaches, shopping complexes across the Klang Valley are transforming into vibrant showcases of Malaysian culture and tradition.
For this festive season, malls are embracing themes of kampung nostalgia, oversized delights, and artistic whimsy, creating enchanting experiences for visitors and offering a unique celebration of Raya’s joyous spirit.
Sweet memories
Sunway Malls’ “EIDisi Manis” themed Raya celebrations impress visitors with their sweet decor featuring oversized kuih-muih and idyllic kampung life.
If you’ve ever wondered what a Malaysian version of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs might look like, just look up – kuih loyang dangle overhead as visitors stroll through lush greenery and vibrant bazaar stalls surrounding a beautifully furnished traditional stilt house at Sunway Velocity Mall.
Similarly, Sunway 163 Mall and Sunway Pyramid also feature a picturesque kampung setting with vibrantly hued coconut trees and illuminated crescent moons.
Visitors at Sunway Pyramid can strike a pose at a photobooth by the replica of a kampung house to bring home as a memento.
Over at Sunway Putra Mall’s Main Concourse, a 7.5m-tall dulang bertingkat (three-tier tray) tower takes centre stage, featuring magnified delicacies like Puteri Ayu, kuih bahulu, ondeh-ondeh and kuih kapit.
IOI City Mall in Putrajaya welcomes visitors with a summer day in the desert featuring camels and cacti.
Standing under the three-storey kuih-muih tower makes one feel like a character sucked into a make-believe world of giant food.
Whimsical Raya illustrations of Malaysian delicacies by artist thatDania are festooned throughout Sunway Malls, providing a pop of colour. The designs are also featured on Sunway Raya packets and some merchandise.
IOI City Mall in Putrajaya and IOI Mall Puchong showcase the traditional charm of Hari Raya Aidilfitri with “Lebaran Bersama”.
Intricate Batik Selangor incorporated with Bunga Tanjung motifs make up the backdrop on the ground floor of the malls for a summery desert setting.
Adding to the Middle Eastern aura are fauna like camels and majestic birds perched by glittering gazebos with lush flower bushes, illuminated cacti and palm trees.
Faux water fountains simulate an ethereal garden, with larger-than-life golden flowers blooming at every corner.
Little ones can engage in ketupat-themed crafts like decorating greeting cards, sewing plushies and making keychains.
Cartoon celebrities
IOI Mall Damansara, meanwhile, is gearing up for the festivities with Malaysia’s own animated spy kids, Ejen Ali and Ejen Alicia, leading the charge alongside the cartoon series’ fictional spy agency Mata.
The mall’s concourse level offers playtime to little ones with a futuristic spaceship-themed playground.
Visitors can snap photos with the baju melayu-clad characters of the series. They can also colour and scan their own characters to appear on an interactive screen.
Other characters clad in Hari Raya garb are also joining in the “Kemeriahan Bersama” celebrations at Pavilion Bukit Jalil, where Malaysia’s own superhero BoBoiBoy and friends will be making an appearance with meet-and-greet sessions with fans.
Visitors can spot the young superhero at BoBoiBoy’s Kokotiam at IOI Mall’s centre court.
Glittering showcase
Over at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, the theme for Hari Raya Aidilfitri is “Budaya Raya”, featuring a glittering waterfall of lights and arabesque lanterns suspended in the air.
A golden arched walkway by Swarovski at the entrance welcomes visitors with stunning displays and interactive activities.
Magic is in the air at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur with twinkling lights and arabesque lanterns.
Visitors can catch a glimpse of Malaysian singer Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza’s illustrious career at the “Steps of Legacy” showcase, where her personal memories of Raya will be on display.
Over at Pavilion Damansara Heights, its “Heights of Traditions” theme offers visitors an earthy traditional kampung house decorated with wau bulan.
Shoppers can stop by and admire handcrafted wau displays alongside a detailed diorama of a kampung landscape that brings aspects of traditional Malay culture to life, including gotong- royong practices.
Reminiscent of royal palaces, Suria KLCC and Alamanda shopping centre in Putrajaya are going the regal route with a Moroccan-themed landscape of palatial complexes.
Upon arrival, visitors can find grand Moorish-inspired arches welcoming them into the brightly lit floors of storefronts.
At their respective centre courts, majorelle blue domed structures and gazebos take on the style of Islamic architecture with golden accents.
Concealed within these domed structures are infinity mirror rooms, complete with a dreamy ceiling of flowers, where visitors can see different sides of themselves – literally.
At Suria KLCC, visitors can craft their own keepsakes of colourful mosaic cup coasters, or create charming sky-coloured floral centrepieces.
Meanwhile, Alamanda offers a weekend activity of Moroccan glass painting for children.
The Exchange TRX showcases ‘A Luminous Raya’ with glittering gazebos and golden lanterns.
Over at The Exchange TRX, a fusion of elegance and whimsical wonderland is presented in “A Luminous Raya”.
Crisp white flowers blend harmoniously with foliage, where delicate glowing butterflies rest on golden lanterns throughout the mall, illuminating the way for shoppers.
Soft, illuminated arches light the path to the Central Exchange, where visitors can take a break at a golden seating area tucked among a forest of trees and serene flora.
Similarly inviting seating with cushions and drapes are located throughout the mall for those looking for a bit of rest.
Arabesque attractions
1 Utama shopping centre takes shoppers back in time to the historical Silk Road, with Uzbekistan-inspired “Astana Aidilfitri”.
At the Oval, visitors can wander through a pavilion with arched entryways, showcasing Islamic architectural influences such as Uzbekistan’s famed Registan Square.
Mosaic tiles with geometric motifs glow under warm arabesque lanterns, transporting shoppers into a Central Asian bazaar.
At Fahrenheit88, their Hari Raya theme is “Bergaya Raya”, which offers a stunning fashion showcase.
Rattan lanterns and woven pieces embellish the walls of Amani Street, a hallway where visitors are welcome to write down their ambitions and dreams, or simply well-wishes for each other.
Visitors can pose for photographs on an elegant seating with a backdrop of modern baju melayu, showcasing the fun fashions of the celebrations.
Oversized gauzy flowers with golden leaves nestle within the fashionable ensembles on display.
