Pontianak Residents Perform Traditions Of Grave Pilgrimage Ahead Of Ramadan In Pontianak

A number of people made a pilgrimage to his family's grave at TPU Sungai Bangkong, Pontianak City/Photo: Antara

PONTIANAK - Residents from various places carry out the grave pilgrimage tradition by visiting various public cemeteries ahead of Ramadan 1443 Hijriah in Pontianak City, West Kalimantan Province.

"The month of Syakban leading up to Ramadan has its own special features for Muslims because many people will come to visit the graves of their relatives," said Iman, an administrator for the Bangkong River Burial Site (TPU), Pontianak City, in Pontianak, Wednesday, March 30.

He stated that compared to last year, the arrival of pilgrims to the local TPU had increased, partly because the situation with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic this year was not too severe.

"Every day I take care of the TPU, such as cleaning and cutting the grass that covers the tomb. In addition, I also receive services for cleaning the tomb and usually sell flowers," he said, quoted by Antara.

He admitted that he did not set a certain tariff as a service for cleaning the graves of the families who made a pilgrimage to the TPU.

He also admitted that he continued to take care of this TPU even though many of the victims who died due to COVID-19 were buried in that place.

"I'm not worried while taking care of this TPU, even though many victims died due to COVID-19. As long as our intentions are good to help and implement the process, God willing, we will always be protected," he said.

A pilgrim, Eni, admitted that she always made a pilgrimage to the local TPU before Ramadan.

She assessed that the Bangkong River TPU in Pontianak City was neater than the previous year because of the tomb officers.

"This grave pilgrimage has been a tradition of Pontianak City since the first when welcoming the Fasting Month, and when I have free time I come here to clean my family's graves," she said.

She stated that her family's graves were cleaned by themselves, while most people who used tomb cleaning services because they came from outside the local city so that their families could not immediately clean the graves.