In a makeshift shelter in western Indonesia, Rohingya refugees meticulously groom themselves. Men style their hair with gel, while women don vibrant hijabs and makeup, all in preparation for the Eid al-Fitr prayers.

However, this celebration finds them separated from their families, having endured a perilous sea voyage from Bangladesh's dire camps, now facing an uncertain future in the world's most populous Muslim-majority country.

Approximately 75 refugees have sought refuge at a local official's office in conservative Aceh province, a common landing point for persecuted Myanmar minorities each year.

Many among them survived a harrowing boat accident recently, spending over a day stranded on its dilapidated hull.

As the community gathered for the solemn morning prayers of the holiday, mothers gently applied henna tattoos to their daughters' hands, adding a touch of tradition to the scene.

Tears welled up in the eyes of Rohingya men as a preacher's voice resonated through the makeshift tents, their emotions evident as they bowed in prayer, their thoughts weighed down by the challenges they faced.

"Here, we have no siblings. My family is not here, that's why I cried," said Mohammad Rizwan, 35.

"Some also cried earlier because their mother, father or siblings died due to the boat capsizing. One friend of mine lost six or seven family members."

The mostly Muslim ethnic Rohingya are heavily persecuted in Myanmar, and thousands risk their lives each year on long and expensive sea journeys to try to reach Malaysia or Indonesia.

From mid-November to late January, more than 1,700 Rohingya refugees landed on Indonesian shores, according to the U.N.'s refugee agency.

Want to go

The Rohingya men are sleeping on mats on a crumbling floor strewn with trash inside the shelter building, after being relocated from an old Red Cross facility due to local anger.

But some are still trying to make the most of a bad situation.

"In our hometown, there's a celebration for Eid. There were mothers, fathers, siblings, relatives. Now, even here, I still feel happiness, despite the disaster at sea," said Dostgior, who goes by one name. He added that he was thankful for the "feasting and chatting" with fellow survivors.

"If God willed it, I might have died at sea. But my fate is good, so I am alive."

Others were praying to carry on their journeys to another country, with Indonesia not giving them a permanent stay and Aceh locals holding protests against their presence in recent months.

"The people of Indonesia have helped us a lot with food and clothes. They show their humanity to us," said Zlabul Hoque, 33.

"Eid is knocking (on) the door. I don't know where they take us after Eid. We want to go to Malaysia."

'We are silent'

Aid agencies have appealed to Jakarta to accept more refugees, but Indonesia is not a signatory to the U.N. Refugee Convention and says it is not compelled to take in refugees from Myanmar.

As the prayers ended, the men stood up from their mats, wiped their faces. The mic'd-up preacher also began to cry.

The men hugged each other, wailing out loud with grief as they remembered the relatives lost on the treacherous ocean journey.

After praying behind the men, the women returned to their tent, holding one another and weeping in unison. One cried so hysterically that she had to be helped back to one of the shelter tents.

"We do not understand any language here. We don't know anything yet. So we are silent, we can't even go anywhere," said 17-year-old Dilkayas.

"What else will we do during Eid? We don't have a home here."