Dozens of hot air balloons, some sporting traditional Batik designs, take to the skies above the Wonosobo area in Indonesia’s central Java province as part of Eid al-Fitr celebrations to mark the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. "The hot air balloon festival is held during Eid al-Fitr when Muslims celebrate as the victorious day. The ballons shall not be released at any other time, because of its philosophical history and religious values," says Hasan Fadholi, head of the festival’s organising committee. While the festival dates back to the 1950s, participants have been obliged in recent years to tie down the homemade balloons, with a maximum flying height of 60 metres above the ground in order to prevent the balloons from interfering with commercial flights. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES