Creating a joyous glow for Hari Raya

Over 1,500 oil lamps are creatively arranged and illuminated in Kuala Kangsar, Perak, to form the silhouette of Masjid Ubudiah for Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

WATCHING the bright orange flames of oil lamps flickering and dancing in the night can be mesmerising.

Traditionally known as pelita, these oil lamps are usually placed around the household compound.

A child is mesmerised by the glow of ‘pelita’ decorating the compound of her house in Rawang, Selangor, for the festive celebration.

For many, they evoke a childhood nostalgia of a time when the festive atmosphere of the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations was made merrier with oil lamps.

These days, the lamps can be made by repurposing items such as recycled aluminium cans or glass jars to more organic materials like bamboo or the seed pods of a kapok tree.

Hanafiza Hasnan inspecting her ‘pelita buluh’ before selling it to her customers. She runs the business from her house at Kampung Kechor in Kangar, Perlis.

The lighting of the pelita re­mains a sign that Raya celebrations are just around the corner.

Visitors at the Pelita Raya Terengganu event at the Terengganu State Sports Complex in Gong Badak, which attracted about 170,000 people. — Bernama

In the kampung, it is not uncommon to see many pelita dotting the main roads, welcoming those who have returned to celebrate with their elders and family members.

Though with the advent of electricity, multicoloured light bulbs have made it more convenient and safer to impart a celebratory glow to the festivities, there are many who still stick to tradition.

Villager Mahli Udin lighting a giant lamp along with other oil lamps to decorate his house at Kampung No.5 in Kuching, Sarawak. — Photos: RONNIE CHIN, FAIHAN GHANI, ZHAFARAN NASIB and ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE/The Star

One diehard traditional pelita lover said that using oil in the lamps provides a welcome added benefit of repelling insects.