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~ Deepavali – The Festival of Lights ~

posted on 2016-10-044728 views,0comments,37Shares

~ Deepavali – The Festival of Lights ~
Festival Date – 29th October 2016

§ Author:  Thanalakshmi Balakrishnan (Thana)Telexpress Johor Bahru CentreHR Department §

 

 

Deepavali is also known as Diwali, or the Festival of Lights. Light is significant in Hinduism because it signifies goodness. So, during the Festival of Lights, 'deeps', or oil lamps are burned throughout the day and into the night to ward off darkness and evil.

Image result for deepavali cookies

 ▲Diwali is celebrated on the last day of the last month of lunar calendar.

 

 

There are various alleged origins attributed to this festival. Some hold that they celebrate the marriage of Lakshmi with Lord Vishnu. In Bengal, the festival is dedicated to the worship of Kali. It also commemorates that blessed day on which the triumphant Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana. On this day also Sri Krishna killed the demon Narakasura.

 

In Malaysia, it is celebrated as the day the evil Narakasura was slain by Lord Krishna. The triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. The mood starts a month beforehand with the preparation of the various array of Indian cookies such as murukku,ommapadi, chippi, atharasum, nei orundei and the wall breaker kallu orundei.

 

Image result for deepavali cookies Image result for deepavali cookies

▲Various Deepavali Cookies and Indian Sweets

 

 

Of course, there is the inevitable shopping and work to be done that requires everything to be new and clean, from curtains to clothes for family members.

Image result for deepavali open house cookiesImage result for deepavali bazaar malaysia

 

 

Normally on Deepavali eve, offerings and prayers are made to ancestors and deceased family members. After this ceremony, the women are busy in the kitchen while the rest of the family does the house by hanging new curtains, placing new curtains and draws ‘Kolams”at our doorsteps to welcome Laxmi, the goddess of prosperity. 

 

Image result for deepavali kolam at house

 

 

Getting up early before sunrise, oil is applied on heads and a bath is taken. This ritual oil bath is known as "ganga-snanam" and is done to cleanse one of the impurities of the past year. Prayers are held at the family altar, after which the family gathers before the elders to receive their blessings. Then the guests come by and food cooked is prepared "halal" so as to be served to Malay Muslims. Here again, the concept of open house is seen and an intermingling of friends of different races come by to greet a Happy Deepavali. It also is a great opportunity to dig in on some delicious Indian curry and cookies.

 

Image result for deepavali open house in malaysiaImage result for deepavali open house in malaysia

 

Most Malaysian Indians are South Indian Hindus in origin. Here, even though Deepavali is known as the festival of lights, there are no oil lamps being lit. Rather it is usually done on another religious festival called Karthika Villaku which comes about a month later.

The happiest celebrants are, of course, the children who collect gleefully the yellow packets with money in them - an adaptation of the Chinese red ang pow packets. Celebrants try to squeeze the month-long festivities into one day of public holiday and four to five days of leave from work.

 

Image result for children with deepavali angpow

▲Children gets blessing from the elders in the family

 

 

 

 

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