The month-long, delightful Food Carnival and Extravaganza is back. With the start of Ramadhan here in Malaysia today, you can find stalls selling varieties of mouth-watering food and drinks for the breaking of fast everywhere in Langkawi from today right up to 30th. September. It is known as the Ramadhan Bazaar or “Pasar Ramadan” in Malay. The bazaars normally will be open daily from 4pm and closes at about 7.15pm ( right before the breaking of fast).
The month of Ramadhan is the ninth month in the Islamic lunar calendar, and is a month where Muslims must fast (”puasa” in Malay) from sunrise till sunset.
It is a month for spiritual reflection, prayers, and essentially training the body and mind to be a good, righteous, complete and perfect Muslim.
Fasting is not only forgoing food and drink from sunrise till sunset, but also “fasting” of the mind from unhealthy thoughts, the mouth from uttering bad words, the ears from listening untrue gossips about others, and the eyes from looking at prohibited matters.
The Ramadhan Bazaars (or Pasar Ramadan in Malay) are different from night markets in the sense that these Ramadhan Bazaars sell mostly food and drinks for the breaking of fast.
As in previous years, there will be a variety of delicacies and freshly baked treats to tempt the eye from basketfuls of kuih (local 1 cake) assortment to rows of side dishes and drinks to complement a family dinner.
There is no better time for locals and tourists to titillate taste buds than by touring the various buka puasa (breaking of fast) spots and trying out the various delicacies each site offers during the month-long Ramadhan Bazaar. Two main Ramadhan Bazaars here are located in down town Kuah (Pandak Mayah area) and Padang Matsirat near the Langkawi Airport while you can find smaller bazaars or other licences stalls everwhere throughout Langkawi.
This is the time when tourists can join Malaysian Muslims and non-Muslims alike to savour authentic Malay dishes offered by street vendors and restaurants in hotels throughout the fasting month.
VARIETIES OF FOOD AND DRINKS
The food traders, who are given temporary license at allotted spaces by the local authority, sells usually under canopies and huge umbrellas.
Stalls are normally set up as early as 4pm and by late evening they would be packed with people of all races. For the stall traders, some of them part-timers, it is a time when they can earn extra income for the family to be used for buying essentials and luxuries to celebrate Hari Raya Aidil Fitri.
These stalls attract Muslims and non-Muslims alike to their special once-a-year delicacies and favourite foods.
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