Tapin, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) – At least 4,481 people participated in the Baayun Maulid tradition to commemorate the birthday of Prophet Muhammad PUBH (peace be upon him) in Banua Halat Village, Tapin District, South Kalimantan.
“As usual, the number of visitors reaches almost five thousand. We will continue to improve the event in terms of parking,” Tapin District Head H. M. Arifin Arpan stated here on Saturday.
According to Arpan, 50 percent of the visitors were from outside Tapin, such as West Nusa Tenggara, Jakarta, and Semarang, Central Java.
Overall, he said, the event held annually to commemorate the 12th Rabi-ul-Awal, the date of the Prophet’s birthday, was conducted smoothly.
Arpan said his side promised to improve the manner in which celebrations would be held in the following years.
Since the 2000s, children and adults participated in the activity. Meanwhile, the oldest participant was almost 100 years of age, while the youngest was a seven-day-old infant.
Some of the participants also fulfilled their vows after a life goal was achieved.
This celebratory event was last held in 2019 or before the COVID-19 pandemic, wherein it attracted 4,960 participants from various regions in Indonesia.
In 2008, the Baayun Maulid tradition earned an Indonesian World Record Museum (MURI) record for the most participants in a cultural activity ever in Indonesia.
“At that time, about 1,500 people participated in Baayun Maulid,” a village head said.
In 2015, the education and culture minister determined that Baayun Maulid is one of Indonesia’s intangible cultural heritages.
The Baayun Maulid tradition, which is held annually by the Banjar Tribe, comprises an activity to swing babies, children, and adults while reading syair maulid (poetry).
In 2022, for the first time, Kapuas residents from Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, also organized the festival on a massive scale that was attended by hundreds of participants.
Source: Antara News