By Siti Azila Alias

BUKIT MERTAJAM, March 11 (Bernama) — The tradition of beating the “beduk”( a type of drum) at Cherok Tokun Bawah Jamek Mosque, here, during Ramadan will be practised again to enliven the fasting month.

The “beduk” Beduk, also known as “tabuh”,  is more than 40 years old and weighs almost 70 kilogrammes. It is made of Merbau wood and cowhide.

It has been in the mosque since the 1980s, but the traditional practice of beating it during Ramadan was only revived about 10 years ago.

Youth Head of the mosque committee, Mohd Rostam Rahim said the drum had to be repaired first before they could revive the tradition because it had been left idle for too long.

He said the decision to revive the tradition was to reminisce the nostalgic atmosphere of celebrating Ramadan.

 "The beduk is brought out every Ramadan for use three times daily. It is beaten to indicate the time for sahur,  the breaking of fast and after the tarawih prayer," he told Bernama recently.

According to Mohd Rostam, even though the mosque is equipped with loudspeakers and microphones, the practice of beating the drums during Ramadan is continued so that the young people get to know the tradition as well as experience the fasting month during the time of their elders.

 "We are trying to revive the tradition of beating the beduk to the younger generation because we don't want it to disappear with the times.

"Usually the ones who beat the beduk are the young people. They have been taught by the elders how to properly beat the drum because the beduk is not like beating other drums,” he said.

According to Mohd Rostam, since the tradition was revived more than 10 years ago, the beduk has been repaired four times due to several damages.

"Recently, we had to send it to Kuala Kangsar, Perak, to be repaired because the person who used to repair the beduk passed away We also ordered a new drumstick for this year," he said.

Meanwhile, Mohd  Rostam said that in preparation for this year's Ramadan, the mosque’s committee organised a gotong-royong to clean the mosque.

 He said various programmes and activities had also been outlined for Ramadan to attract the youth group to come to the mosque.

"Besides cooking lambuk porridge, and helping the asnaf (tithe recipients), we will also organise mass breaking of fast and distribution of food to the homeless.

"After the tarawih prayer, we will have people taking care of the traffic considering that we expect about 800 people to come for the prayer every night at the mosque," he said.

—BERNAMA