For Muslim-majority Indonesia welcoming Ramadan includes torchlight street parades, cleaning relatives’ graves, and sharing meals with family and friends.
The Ramadan traditions in Indonesia have been influenced by other religions.
The Javanese ritual of Nyadran is heavily influenced by Hinduism and Buddhism which involves visiting ancestors’ graves.
Each year, thousands of villagers who live on the slopes of Mount Merapi in Central Java visit cemeteries where their ancestors rest to welcome Ramadan. People clean and decorate graves and make prayers and offerings in preparation for the most sacred month in Islam.
Photos: AFP