Maulid (Prophet's Birthday)

Truly good listening here currently Gabby, this crew really getting somewheres. Get yrself some of it in the next day/two, a ML specialist like yerself has a gap in the acquaintance if you don have this in yr knowing. Plenty good; strong, sincere voices. Lucky people, they'll all come away the better for it tonight and sleep well. Only thing I can compare it to is the male yeshiva boys evenings in St. Kilda, Melbourne, more raucous in that case. This has a finer lilt. Bathroom window open on the lane. Reckon they're indoors somewhere and the prayer and song of praise passing through the numerous walls, descending from one of the upper storeys it sounds like. Gee, it's good. Women would be proud of their men watching and listening. It's all male that one can hear (they tell me women add their voices from the side). How do they keep it up so long? Choir must be sectioned. Reckon it's to the effect, — God/Allah raise him up.... Or maybe, Our dear Allah, thy will prevails, light our ways, show the path LALA LUUHHLUU.... Might be some clapping or feet stomping at the end here too a little. Yes, they've wound down. The Ashkenazis would stomp energetically as part of their performance. Lovely. Cars filled the lorong. On the corner at the eatery the poor old Chins will be bent over their beer and pork crackers. Lifted the spirits of this listener opposite. How much more the participants themselves! Gone half eleven. Made them thirsty and hungry. There they are now quietly milling in the girls' outdoor lunch area in their white tunics and caps, soundless from behind this glass here and I'll warrant down on the ground among them. They're spent, pleasurably exhausted.... Almost eleven o'clock, mix of young and older men; some making off to their cars and the buses. A certain inevitable envy.

NB. In the approach to the Prophet's birthday Muslims gather for these recitals, often in school halls and community centres rather than mosques. In this case Thursday night a girls' madrasa in Geylang.