Ramadhan in 2025 is once again welcomed ardently by the people of Indonesia. This can be seen from the festively various activities during Ramadhan carried out by the Muslim community in Indonesia, such as waking people up for sahoor in unique ways, the hustle and bustle atmosphere of Tarawih prayers, and so on. However, there is one unique phenomenon that has recently been widely discussed by the public. This phenomenon is known as Takjil War.
The term Takjil War comes from two words, which are ‘takjil’ and ‘wark’. The word takjil’ refers to the food and drinks that muslim consume to break their fast, while ‘war’ means war, battle, or a fight. Takjil War is a phenomenon of fighting over takjil, which became popular since Ramadhan 2024. Appealingly, this phenomenon does not only involve Muslims, but even people from various religious backgrounds are tempted to join in the hunt for takjil. So, how did this phenomenon come to be in Indonesia?
As an archipelagic country, Indonesia is rich in diversity across many aspects. One of them is the diversity in religion and belief. The six officially recognized religions in Indonesia are Islam, Christian, Catholic, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. The majority of Indonesia’s population is Muslim, accounting for 87.08%, followed by Christians and Catholics at 7.40% and 3.07% (Muhammad, 2024).
Although people in Indonesia come from different religious backgrounds, it cannot be denied that the people share a great love for food and snacks typical of the country. Lemper, bakwan, risol, and various types of traditional cakes are examples of popular snacks with many fans. These typical Indonesian dishes are often found at bazaars across the country.
During this beautiful month of Ramadhan, there are plenty of markets in Indonesia that hold Ramadhan bazaars. This has created a new routine for Muslims while they wait for the time to break their fast. However, who would have thought that this routine is not only followed by Muslims, but also by non-Muslims? In fact, because of the food and drinks that are offered by the vendors are so tempting and limited in quantity, this routine has turned into a competition to hunt over foods or as we simply called Takjil War.
The phenomenon that occurs in the month of Ramadan has reaped many positive impressions from the people. The reason is, this Takjil War is filled with very funny and amusing cores. There are some non-Muslims who disguise themselves as takjil hunters by wearing Muslim clothing, a first come first served system, Muslims who get the leftover takjil because on average the takjil is bought up by non-Muslims, and so on. All of this represents the fun of life in a unique and enjoyable diversity.
As a student living abroad, I really miss the atmosphere of Ramadhan in Indonesia. I tend to be a bit lazy when I go out, especially to crowded places. But when it comes to hunting for takjil in my hometown, all my laziness is instantly replaced by excitement. In Indonesia, I would usually go takjil hunting with my family. Since I have five siblings, we usually split up to look for and buy the takjil we want, because if we go jointly, it will definitely take a long time due to all the disputes on what we want. The most enjoyable part is when it’s time to break our fast, we can all taste various types of takjil that we bought, and it’s not often for us to compare whose purchase tastes the best.
As time went by, we started living separately. I live abroad with my father, while my mother and siblings are in Indonesia. Some are in college, and others are in boarding school. The atmosphere of Ramadhan without the complete family has slowly become something that I’m used to, but I can’t deny that I miss those moments of togetherness. I hope that in the next Ramadhan, I can reunite with the rest of my family. And if possible, I would love to attend a Ramadhan Bazaar in Indonesia again and jump in the Takjil War with the locals.
In conclusion, as Indonesians who have such diversity, this Takjil War is a phenomenon that has become a habit eventually. This phenomenon gives a rare impression where the people are united in an activity of hunting for food. This will be a characteristic of the month of Ramadhan in Indonesia that can be proud of, will be highly anticipated and also to be hoped for by all Indonesian people. Moreover, this phenomenon is very suitable for the implementation of the third principle of Pancasila, which states ‘Persatuan Indonesia,’ and its motto ‘Bhinneka Tunggal Ika.’ Both refer to the idea that despite the differences in ethnicity, religion, race, and social groups, Indonesia remains united as one nation.