While Ramadhan bazaars are sprouting out all over offering an abundant variety of tasty fare for the breaking of fast, shopping malls are decked up with Raya decorations to woo shoppers. However this year, the decorations are quite disappointing. Some malls such as Pavillion and Mid Valley have not even put up any decorations when I visited in the first week of June.
This year, Suria KLCC uses Terengganu’s batik as the main theme. Suria KLCC chose the batik theme as it wanted to promote this beautiful traditional handicraft not only to shoppers but to tourists visiting Suria KLCC.
Terengganu batik is featured prominently in this year’s theme
Raya decorations at Suria KLCC
A traditional Malay house once again takes centrestage. The house is decked in various batik items such as wau, wall décor and ornaments on the verandah.
Once again, a traditional Malay house takes centrestage
The furnishing is simple and basic. Antique items such as box television set, gramophone and typewriter bring shoppers back to the eras of the 60s and 70s.
Simple and basic furnishing in the house
Traditional musical instruments on display
Similar to previous years, a giant ketupat is placed at the KLCC Esplanade. It is certified by the Malaysia Book of Records as the Tallest Ketupat Decoration. Colourful waus with various batik motifs surround this giant traditional Hari Raya cuisine.
Giant ketupat at the KLCC Esplanade
Colourful Terengganu batik waus
Suria KLCC’s Raya decorations is pretty standard and getting stale – a traditional Malay house at the concourse and recycling the giant ketupat at the KLCC Esplanade. The only change is the type of traditional Malay house that is featured and how the ketupat is decorated.
Paradigm Mall is collaborating with Gila Gila, Malaysia’s highly popular and longest running comic series for a crazy and humorous Raya.
Gila Gila theme Raya in Paradigm Mall
Raya Ria bersama Gila Gila in Paradigm Mall
The mall’s Upper Atrium is transformed with ambience to resemble the world of Gila Gila. Some of the booths are named after the magazine’s characters such as A. Mahmud Salon, Tauke and Tiga Dara Tailor.
Haircut, anyone?
Traditional ‘mom & pop’ shop, a common sight in 80s Malaysia
Décor items such as the coin operated public phone booth, ‘kapcai’ scooter and oil lamp bring back nostalgic memories of the 80s and 90s.
Scooters and motorcycles were popular mode of transport in the 80s
Public phone was an important tool of communication prior to mobile phone
A modern version oil lamp
In line with its Riang Ria bersama Gila Gila theme, the mall has also arranged a series of events and activities to bring joy and laughter to shoppers. Kids can take part in the arts and crafts workshop. Children and adults alike can go down memory lane and participate in the childhood classic games such as batu seremban, guli, lompat tali and ceper. Visitors can also get a caricature of themselves drawn by Jaafar Taib, the magazine founder and other main cartoonists.
1 Utama Shopping Centre’s Sinaran Sanubari Syawal gives a modern twist to the traditional craft of batik and the wood art.
Sinaran Sanubari Syawal at 1 Utama Shopping Centre
Batik is also used in 1 Utama’s Raya decorations
Incorporating them into the stalls and kiosks provides a contemporary feel to the whole space. Tiny sequins dot the beautiful flower motif of the batik giving it some glitter. I thought using the batik for the booth’s name was a nice touch.
Closer look at some of the kiosks
Visitors can shop for their Raya clothes, accessories, knick-knacks and cookies here. There is even a booth offering massage! But I didn’t see any of the booth selling traditional Raya fares such as lemang, serunding and ketupat though. I guess to get these, one has to visit the traditional Ramadhan bazaar.
Traditional Malay costumes are also displayed to entice shoppers
Here’s wishing all Muslims a blessed and happy fasting month and Salam Aidil Fitri.
An Occasional Traveller 