Spotlight on kampung life

A colourful kampung setting in Da Men Mall, Subang Jaya.

IN ANTICIPATION of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, mall concourses are decked out with decorations to get everyone in the festive mood.

Our tour of Klang Valley malls to check out the decorations took our hearts and imagination to the Malay heartlands and as far as the east coast of the peninsula.

The simple pleasures of life in a traditional Malay fishing village have inspired the decorations at Suria KLCC.

A traditional village house elevated on stilts occupies the centre court that has been transformed with coconut palms and fishing boats.

Visitors are allowed to enter the house to get a feel of a traditional kampung home.

An interactive wayang kulit (shadow play) offers visitors the opportunity to experience moving and controlling the puppets.

Classic children’s games such as congkak, gasing (spinning tops) and teng teng (hopscotch) will also take shoppers down memory lane.

At the KLCC Esplanade, a 15m replica of a pelita, the oil lamp that is symbolic of Hari Raya celebrations, is on display until May 1.

Over in Subang Jaya, Da Men Mall also has a traditional house as part of its raya decor until May 21.

It has a colourful kampung atmosphere with a lush tropical garden and the calming sounds of nature in the background.

To get shoppers into the festive mood, there are lively musical performances like the rhythmic gamelan and upbeat dikir barat to celebrate Aidilfitri and traditional Malay culture.

At Intermark Mall in Kuala Lumpur, the raya decorations pay tribute to one of Malaysia’s oldest traditional art forms.

An exhibition of Terengganu weaver Asmah Ismail’s exquisite work at the concourse, reflects the rich cultural legacy and tradition of woven crafts from the east coast states.

Shoppers can enjoy traditional performances and cultural activities there until April 30.

Inspired by the intricate designs of the wau (traditional Malaysian kite) and the architecture in the east coast, Setia City Mall in Shah Alam has the traditional kites and batik on display at its concourse until April 30.

There will be cultural performances such as dikir barat, kompang, caklempong and kulingtangan besides a Jawi calligraphy session.

The wau also provides inspiration for raya decorations at Mid Valley Megamall in Kuala Lumpur.

Vibrantly coloured giant wau hoisted over pavilions shaped like kampung houses, create an attractive setting for photos.

Activities like interactive wau stamp booths, wau demonstrations and wau-making workshops will give shoppers insight into the traditional craft and its cultural heritage.

They can also enjoy music and dance performances like ghazal, angklung and zapin at the mall.

Beautiful home decoration items and delicious treats are available for purchase, in addition to clothing, shoes and jewellery.

At Bangsar Shopping Centre in Kuala Lumpur, bright, colourful Moroccan-style lamps illuminate the concourse that is decorated with lush foliage.

With over 30 vendors offering an extensive range of festive fashion and accessories, home decorations and raya food, shoppers have a wide variety of options to choose from.

There are also bands playing traditional Hari Raya tunes on instruments such as the gamelan, angklung and caklempong.

Children are not forgotten as there are fun workshops to make Wau Bulan besides calligraphy and wayang kulit sessions.

At Paradigm Mall in Petaling Jaya, wooden structures form a batik workshop at the concourse, that is adorned with bolts of floral-motif batik fabric.

Activities lined up at this mall include a ketupat hunt, batik drawing, colouring contest and ketupat-making workshops.

Stalls at the concourse have on sale raya biscuits, telekung, batik and a range of fashion accessories.

At 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Petaling Jaya, decorations are inspired by the Ramadan tradition of “Malam Tujuh Likur”, whereby oil lamps are lit every night in the run-up to Hari Raya.

Arabic-style lanterns in nine styles illuminate the concourse.

The giant lanterns showcase Middle Eastern motifs and the tallest lantern, which stands at an impressive 5m, serves as a stunning centrepiece.

At the mall’s Oval and Centre Courts, shoppers will find booths that offer something for everyone, including apparel, fashion accessories and traditional Malay food like rendang and kuih bahulu.

Throughout Hari Raya Aidilfitri, the mall will feature weekly performances that range from mesmerising Egyptian belly dances to musical recitals, traditional Malay dances and other special guest performances.

Themed “Nostalgia Raya”, the centre court of The Curve shopping centre in Petaling Jaya has been transformed into cosy kampung-style homes, evoking the nostalgia of returning to one’s hometown.

A life-sized village house is on display, showcasing traditional Malaysian architecture.

The house is surrounded by an artificial padi field and is decorated with items like scarecrows and a pangkin, which is often used as a meeting point for villagers.

During the festive campaign until April 24, shoppers can enjoy children’s dance and traditional instrumental performances while young visitors can attend a children’s workshop.

Over in Putrajaya, IOI City Mall has used flowers and elegant lanterns to create a mesmerising ambiance.

The stunning array of lights illuminating the mall concourse, along with the magical garden of flowers, make it visually captivating.

Lined up is a variety of entertainment every weekend that includes performances such as traditional dances like joget, Tarian Lilin and Kuda Kepang.

The mall hosts a variety of craft activities for young visitors too, such as batik painting, wau-making, decorating raya biscuits and making suncatchers.

These fun-filled activities take place every weekend until May 1.

At Cheras LeisureMall, Kuala Lumpur, there is a traditional kampung setting with replicas of chickens and lemang buluh.

Visitors can engage in interactive events throughout this month. Activities include Malay traditional music performances as well as Johor traditional dances.

There is a Felt Ketupat Workshop tomorrow and the Gasing Painting Workshop on April 24. Both will take place from 2pm to 6pm at Level 2 LeisurePlex.