Kampung Ribu Keeps Giant 'Panjut' Tradition Alive

By Razif Rosli

KUALA KANGSAR, March 12 (Bernama) -- For the past two weeks, after terawih prayers in Kampung Ribu here, the sounds of hammering, scraping of saws and laughter of villagers have broken the quiet of the Ramadan nights.

The sounds come from an open field in the village, where villagers have been gathering to construct the traditional giant oil lamp structure or panjut – the pride of the local community.

Persatuan Penggemar Panjut Kampung Ribu chairman Amiruddin Mohd Lazim said the effort is not merely about decorating the village but a commitment to ensuring that this Malay heritage art continues to thrive.

For over a decade, lighting up the panjut on the 27th night of Ramadan has been a tradition in Kampung Ribu.

pic-2

“Our main objective from the beginning has been to preserve and sustain this heritage so that it does not disappear with time. If no one takes the initiative to organise it, it will eventually fade from history and future generations may never experience it,” he said when met by Bernama at the construction site of the giant panjut in Kampung Ribu recently.

He said although the association was officially registered only in 2019, community efforts to revive the panjut tradition actually began in 2014. Today, the association has around 90 members, with nearly 20 serving as the core group actively involved in keeping the panjut tradition alive every year.

Amiruddin said his interest in panjut also led him to examine historical records in old archives, which revealed that large-scale panjut installations in the Padang Rengas area in Perak had been reported in newspapers as early as 1963 and 1964.

“In those early reports, the panjut structures featured images and logos of political parties because the election season coincided with Ramadan and Hari Raya. Although that was how it started, the practice eventually evolved into a community tradition that continues to this day,” he said.

pic-3

He added that around 1992 and 1993, the installation of panjut in the Padang Rengas parliamentary constituency reached its peak when the route from Kampung Jamuan to Kuala Kangsar town was illuminated by panjut set up by local communities.

However, the tradition eventually faded until it was revived around 2014 and 2015 through competitions organised by then Padang Rengas Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz. 

“Kampung Ribu began participating in the competition in 2016 and 2017, and we emerged as champions in the category contested in both years. The victory motivated us to continue the tradition even after the competition was no longer held,” he said.

To keep the tradition alive, Amiruddin said although modern lighting technology is widely available today, the Kampung Ribu community has chosen to remain faithful to traditional methods.

pic-4

He said the panjut structures are still built using bamboo, wood and traditional oil lamps, without the use of LED lights to complete the display.

Meanwhile, association secretary and project technical head Ahmad Ridzuan Kamaruddin said the construction of the panjut structure is no easy task, with work usually starting about two months before Ramadan.

“We first gather our members to decide whether or not we want to build the panjut that year and to raise funds for the project. We usually cut the bamboo before Ramadan because the work of felling and transporting it is quite heavy. By the time fasting begins, the bamboo is already prepared,” he said.

Each year, around 130 to 150 bamboo poles are required to build the panjut structure, while certain designs may require up to 200 poles. The bamboo is usually sourced from unused land owned by villagers.

“It usually takes between 14 and 20 days to complete the entire panjut stage structure before the oil lamps are lit on the night of the 27th day of Ramadan,” he said, adding that to ensure a more precise structure, the panjut design is created using AutoCAD software, something rarely done by other villages.

pic-5

Commenting on this year’s installation, Ahmad Ridzuan said they are recreating the design of the Melaka Straits Mosque structure that was previously built in 2021. It is expected to stand nine metres tall and 15 metres wide, and between 1,200 and 1,400 oil lamps will be used to illuminate the site.

He added that the Kampung Ribu panjut tradition is no longer just a village activity as it has attracted the attention of corporate and private organisations seeking collaboration, while drawing thousands of visitors from across the country each year.

“The programme also provides an opportunity for local youths to earn extra income as transport riders, ferrying visitors from the parking area to the panjut site,” he said.

-- BERNAMA