Celebrating Malaysiana- Taking a break from all current heartaches.

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh to all Muslims and May Peace and Tranquility be upon all of you reading this.

I sincerely wish that those of you reading this posting are in the best of health and safe from harm. Ameen.

This morning’s article intends to stay away from the current maladies affecting Malaysians in general.

I am getting sick of all the current heartaches brewing in our nation. The endless civil disturbances being unleashed unto our lives makes me yearn for some peace and tranquility.

After all, it is not me clamoring for power and position. Those who want to wreak havoc in our Malaysian way of life won’t listen to reason and the bloody government we have right now are too damn egoistic to listen to the people’s cries and are just recalcitrants!

As the saying goes, ‘Gajah sama gajah berjuang ; pelandok mati tersepit ditengah!’
meaning ‘When the elephants go smashing onto each other, it is the mousedeer that dies squashed in between’. Go figure!

The power struggle will continue between the BN and the BA till Doomsday! Those who are hungry for power and position, go ahead! Go beat each other’s brains out!

I want to take 5. Take a break. Time to reminisce on all the lovely heartwarming scenes around us.

Let’s take a tour of the things we are failing to notice and appreciate. Time for some soothing, refreshing scenes of Malaysiana.

Scenes that you will find in days gone by but still present in some outskirts of big cities like KL, Ipoh, Penang, etc. Come journey with me through these pleasing scenes. Relax and unwind.

Remember scenes like this? You can still have a haircut under the trees , right here in KL. No fancy airconditioned barbershop charging you RM10 a haircut.

This old Malay barber will trim your hair for just RM5. You can find him at the side of the carpark behind the Medan Selera of Bandar Tun Razak.

When he passes away, such a cheap barber service will die away with him. Malaysia is fast running out of traditions of a past that was much more easier, affordable way of life.

You can still find tropical fruit stalls like these here in the suburbs of Kuala Lumpur. This particular stall is located at Taman Tenaga, Cheras, KL.

Bananas, papayas, lemons, turnips, jackfruits, watermelons, mangoes, chikus, coconuts, sugarcane, lychees, longans,etc. are sold at still reasonable prices. Way much cheaper than at the supermarkets and hypermarkets that have sprouted here and there in modern suburbia’s.

You can’t miss seeing our Malaysian Indian florists carrying on their trade at Jalan Masjid India, near the Police Booth in central Masjid India.

Flowers always are a pleasing sight to behold and some flowers such as roses and jasmine are therapeutic to us by way of them emitting fragrances which soothes and calms the mind.

Flowers are quite a pleasure to have, hold and give away as a token of love and for Hindus and Buddhists, a part of their prayer rituals.

I don’t know about you but for me the sight of a coconut palm tree against a clear blue sky with it’s palm leaves swaying about blown by a lovely refreshing breeze tends to make me forget all my troubles for a while and takes me back in time when I was just a small kid playing about in my kampong of Jalan Kota Giam, Jelutong Timur, Penang Island.

I and my friend Wan Ali would be sailing out to sea on my small raft, without a worry about this bills and that?

Life was simple and easy. Sort of a Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn situation. Carefree days of old in the 60’s when Malaysian life was much more stress free and costs of living weren’t as they are now. How I wish for similar peace and tranquility right now amidst these stressful times!

Come Friday, I cherish seeing scenes like this when Muslims gather at the mosque and get some relief from their everyday challenges from the socio-politico-religious matters affecting us.

Surrendering oneself to the Mercy and Blessings of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala clears away a major portion of the ills and worries of modern day living from our hearts and minds. Alhamdulillah. Nafsul mutma’innah. A tranquil heart. Worth much more than anything else.

Encik Nasrul, a friend of mine who is a Bank Rakyat officer striding cheerfully with another colleague of his, coming to offer his prayers at Masjid Saiyidina Othman, Bandar Tun Razak, one of my favorite masjid’s here in KL.

Muslims coming in to join the congregational Friday prayers at Masjid Saiyidina Othman, Bandar Tun Razak. The fella in the white skullcap seems surprised to see himself being photographed!

Hehehehehe…Sometimes people still act as if it’s something extraordinary to take photographs of common scenes such as this.

See the chap looking at the camera in this shot? Same reaction! Hehehehehe…smile! You are on Mahaguru58’s camera!

Yet, I know that each moment, each opportunity to preserve such moments must not be missed as times and situations keep changing for us Malaysians and it is important to keep them for the benefit of future generations. So, if you see me aiming my camera at you, please smile! 🙂

You are going to be preserved in history as part and parcel of all things Malaysiana!

These three friends are enjoying cool drinks in the shade of the trees outside the masjid. See the prayer carpet atop the kid’s head at the left corner of this picture?

This is a standard practice by those who come prepared with their own ‘sejadah‘ prayer carpets every Friday in mosques all over the nation. Doubles up as a protection from the midday scorching noon sun and also when a sudden shower befalls us in this tropical climate.

I called out to him and as he turned to look at me, I snapped his bemused look as he realized that he was being photographed! Precious!

The Rojak and Cendol Mamak mobile stall is a common sight at most masjids here in KL and its suburban areas. Muslims flock to such traders for a quick simple lunch costing average of RM3.00 a plate and RM1.00 for a bowl of ‘cendol’.

Cendol consists of a shaven ice mix of boiled sweetened red beans, peanuts, glutinous rice sweetmeats, coconut milk, brown sugar syrup.

Nasrul and friends enjoying their inpromptu lunch under the trees. We have eye contact with the fella in the light purple Baju Melayu! Hehehehehe…photographer conscious, eh?

Well, that’s it for this morning. I hope you have enjoyed feasting your eyes and calmed your nerves appreciating all these scenes in our beloved nation. Let’s preserve a sense of rationality in our mindsets as we strive to improve our conditions as responsible Malaysian citizens.

I wish that Malaysians can learn to appreciate what we have before we lose it forever. Whilst striving for a freer Malaysia, don’t forget to preserve and treasure our own special way of life that is unique to us all.

Don’t you agree? Well, I sure hope that I am not the only one who feels this way? Okay then.

Have a nice day folks. Live and let live and cherish your loved ones. Insya Allah.

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