A quiet Hari Raya celebration at my grandmother's house in Pekan, Pahang.
ALTHOUGH Eid celebrations was over sometime ago, the fond memories still linger on.
I returned to my mother’s home town of Pekan, Pahang on this year’s Hari Raya eve and discovered hardly any activity in town.
And that is unusual as Pekan turns quite festive during the Hari Raya period what with the last-minute preparations and out-of-towners coming back to visit family and relatives.
Attending Hari Raya prayers at Sultan Ahmad Shah Mosque in Pekan, Pahang.
In previous years, it was easy to see just how crowded it got by driving down the main road and getting stuck in traffic.
Not this year though.
It’s funny, I usually complain about the crowd and the jam during Raya in Pekan but when there was hardly any traffic this year, I was surprised and a little sad.
Nevertheless, I saw something while passing through town which put a smile on my face.
The newly refurbished Sultan Ahmad Shah Mosque.
The mosque that I have been frequenting since a child for Hari Raya prayers, the Sultan Ahmad Shah Mosque, had been newly refurbished.
I can’t even remember the last time I saw the mosque with a fresh coat of paint. But now that they had given it that and more - a re-design of the golden domes among others - I really looked forward to praying at the mosque the next morning.
This year, I drove to Pekan from Petaling Jaya, Selangor with the facelifted Honda CR-V 2.4L 4WD.
Honda CR-V in Pekan.
The facelift features the “Solid Wing Face” front fascia, headlights with integrated LED daytime running lights and chrome highlights.
Aesthetics aside, driving the car through the Karak highway and then all the way to Gambang exit was effortless and fun (actually my wife drove more than I did because she simply enjoyed being behind the wheel).
Its i-VTEC engine power output of 190PS at 7,000rpm and 222Nm of torque at 4,400rpm with a smooth and responsive five-speed automatic transmission, ensured a stress-free driving experience.
The vehicle also has a comfortable ride with its pliant suspension and the cabin is well insulated with very low levels of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).
Priced at RM166,493 (on-the-road with insurance and GST), this SUV is spacious all-round especially for rear passengers with ample leg and headroom.
Boot space is also very generous with 589 litres and almost double the figure with the rear seats folded.
Generous boot space of the Honda CR-V.
The 2.4L CR-V has all the creature comforts one expects like smart-entry with push start ignition, 7-inch display with navigation, USB and HDMI ports, reverse camera, hill start assist, six airbags, and paddle shifters.
The very useful Honda Lanewatch, which is a camera right under the left wing mirror and displays the view of the left lane whenever the left turn signal is engaged, relieves the stress of changing lanes without craning your neck.
On the morning of Hari Raya, I drove the CR-V to the mosque with my parents.
The Honda CR-V comes with the Lanewatch feature.
Inside the refurbished mosque, it now had fresh new carpets and air-conditioning, and the modest crowd meant that there was ample space for the faithful to find a place to pray.
Despite it being a quiet affair, I was grateful and happy to spend Raya with my family and meeting up with my relatives.
I realised that it’s not always about the crowd or how festive things are, however it may look from the outside.
It was about spending time with the ones you love.
