By Aziz Idris
The enchanting rythmic beat of "hadrah" drums by a record number of performers reverberated across the capital yesterday, epitomising the lively spirit of celebrations marking the 64th birthday anniversary of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.
The neatly choreographed sounds put together by 300 students and individuals as a highlight of the Royal Get-Together finale at the Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar 'Ali Saifuddien in the capital could possibly be the largest ever hadrah performance the nation has ever seen.
The magnificent feat was followed by a Nasyid performance of a song entitled "Sultan Berjasa, Payung Mahkota" by a group of 64 male individuals who have represented Brunei at both local and international levels.
The performers, who together formed a sea of bright blue with their traditional "baju melayu" costumes, came from four Nasyid groups, namely An-Nida, An-Najihun, Al-Mauizun and An-Najwan.
The Nasyid performance reflected the strong Muslim way of life and adherence to the Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) philosophy, and was seen as being in line with His Majesty's call for a "Nation of Zikir".
Students from the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien (SOAS) College and the Raja Isteri Girls High School (STPRI) also performed a choir song entitled "Raja Khalifah Islam" composed by His Royal Highness Prince Hj Sufri Bolkiah.
As the grand finale, all the participants gathered on centre stage to form a magnificent display of unity and harmony that culminated with the three shouts of "Daulat Kebawah Duli Tuan Patik" or "Long Live His Majesty".
The performances concluded with a burst of colourful confetti and continuous cheers from the crowd of well-wishers and spectators.
- Borneo Bulletin
(26th July 2010)
