The Biggest Homecoming Journey of Lebaran

A packed bus terminal feels the oppressive heat of the tropical sun. Travellers' cheeks light up with excitement and fatigue as hawkers shout and sell them cool beverages and goodies. Families wait for buses, trains, or ferries that will return them to their hometowns, or kampung halaman, some of which have little children on their laps. Indonesia's annual journey of love and belonging, known as mudik, is so enormous that it turns the nation's busy metropolis into abandoned villages and fills its rural areas to overflowing with people.

The Javanese phrase mulih disik, which roughly translates to "going home for a while," is where the word mudik comes from. As time went on, it became a distinctively Indonesian cultural custom known locally as Lebaran, which is synonymous with going home to celebrate Eid al-Fitr. For Muslims around the world, the celebration signifies the conclusion of Ramadan, a sacred time for introspection and fasting. Eid is more than just a religious holiday in Indonesia, the nation with the biggest Muslim population in the world. For millions of people, it serves as an emotional tie-connection, causing them to temporarily abandon their urban lifestyles in order to spend time with their loved ones.

Today, mudik is a sociocultural phenomena that cuts beyond theological lines. This custom is frequently followed by non-Muslim Indonesians as well, who use the national holiday to travel to see loved ones. Reaffirming relationships and meeting spiritual commitments are two of the main goals of this yearly homecoming.

The agrarian and familial systems of old Javanese culture are where Mudik first appeared. The majority of Indonesians used to be subsistence farmers who resided in close-knit rural villages. Work-related migration to urban areas was a relatively recent phenomenon that accelerated throughout the Dutch East Indies colonial era and picked up steam following Indonesia's independence in 1945.

Families became more separated during these early urbanisation waves. As labourers on colonial plantations and urban centres used holiday breaks to return to their communities, annual homecoming customs probably started to solidify. Mudik evolved from dispersed individual journeys to the vast movement it is today with the introduction of improved transport infrastructure, such as trains and buses, in the middle of the 20th century.

This practice was further strengthened by government programs in the 1970s and 1980s. Administrations supported mudik as a means of enhancing cultural and familial ties during Idul Fitri celebrations. It was made a national norm through media campaigns and subsidised transport, solidifying its place in Indonesian culture.

Mudik is frequently described as one of the world's biggest recurring human migrations. Tens of millions of Indonesians travel to their hometowns each year from major cities like Jakarta, Surabaya, and Medan. It was anticipated that more than 100 million people took part in mudik in 2023 alone. This enormous number exceeds the population of several nations and poses an enormous logistical problem.

Transport centres become human seas. Traffic jams on the roads heading out of Jakarta, particularly the Trans-Java toll road, can last for hours or even days. Historically, one of the busiest roads during mudik has been the Pantura (North Coast Road), which connects Jakarta to the eastern cities of Java. In the meantime, Yogyakarta, Solo, and Bandung rail stations are completely booked and are operating extra services to meet demand.

The trend is not limited to Java, the most populated island in Indonesia. Between Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and other smaller islands, ferries transport thousands of people. Airport traffic is at an all-time high, and airlines are seeing an increase in passengers. The exodus continues to be an incredibly chaotic ballet of human movement, even though the government has attempted to stagger departures through controlled schedules.

The Revolution of Toll Roads (2019)

A significant turning point in Mudik history was the 2019 launch of the Trans-Java toll road. This massive project, which spanned more than 1,000 kilometers, drastically cut down on travel time between important cities. It was revolutionary for many families, enabling them to travel more effectively and comfortably. But the route is also notorious for causing huge lines at toll booths, especially on busy mudik days.

The Pandemic Years (2020-2021)

Mudik was subject to hitherto unheard-of limitations during the COVID-19 epidemic. In an attempt to stop the virus's spread, the Indonesian government completely outlawed it in 2020, leaving millions of people devastated and confined to their city homes. Partial permits with stringent health regulations were implemented the following year, creating bizarre pictures of masked passengers and airports that were socially isolated. The emotional need for home was heightened by the interval, which increased the significance of later mudik travels.

Pantura Blackout (2008)

When extensive power outages along the Pantura route created severe delays in 2008, it was one of the most chaotic mudik incidents. Due to the blackout, thousands of people were left stuck in the intense heat with little access to services or communication. This incident improved infrastructure planning by highlighting the vulnerabilities of such a large move.

Mudik is a significant cultural event rather than merely a logistical effort. Around tables heaped with traditional meals like ketupat (rice cakes wrapped in coconut leaves), opor ayam (chicken in coconut milk), and sambal goreng, families come together, generations meet, and memories are shared. When elders give their children angpao, or little envelopes of money, relationships are restored in ways that a video call cannot match.

Conversely, the custom also highlights Indonesia's social and economic disparities. Some people associate mudik with a crowded bus or a dangerous motorbike ride, while others associate it with a first-class flight. The discrepancy serves as a clear reminder of the difficulties that a rapidly developing country faces.

Mudik changes in tandem with Indonesia's ongoing modernisation. Digital technology facilitates planning and coordination, and high-speed rail projects, like the Jakarta-Bandung line, have the potential to completely transform transport. However, mudik is fundamentally based on the ageless ideals of family and unity.

According to a Javanese proverb, Mangan ora mangan asal kumpul, as long as we're together, it doesn't matter if there's food. This phrase perfectly captures the essence of mudik, which is evidence of Indonesia's unwavering devotion to family, tradition, and home.