Deepavali: The Festival of Lights
Written by Wazir
Whenever possible, I invariably book my return flights to ensure a late night arrival in Singapore. From the vantage point of an airplane window, you’d see that this little red dot glows in the dark — and far brighter than anyone would expect from an island of its size. If there's one thing Singapore doesn't get enough credit for, it's the constellation of lights that brings the urban jungle to life after dark. To my fellow lovers of luminosity, I come bearing glad tidings: the electric fireflies of our jungle will be blazing in full splendor this Deepavali.
What is Deepavali?
Deepavali, also known as Diwali, refers to the vibrant festival of lights celebrated by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs across the world. Though technically a five-day affair, you'll see most celebrants pull out all the stops on the night of the new moon, which falls on November 8 based on this year's Hindu lunisolar calendar. That happens to be a Sunday in Singapore, but the event's profound cultural significance to the country's local Indian community is honoured with a public holiday for all on November 9 — I'm sure I speak for every culture when I say the best weekend's a long one!
But wait — why is a festival of light celebrated at night, let alone the darkest one of the lunar cycle? I posed this question to a friend of mine and what seemed like a contradiction became a revelation when she opened my eyes to the true essence of the fluorescent festivity I had missed amidst the crowds and colors: the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil.
How is Deepavali Celebrated?
To quote Vineet Chander (Hindu chaplain of Princeton University), “if you get three Hindus together, you'll get at least five different ways of celebrating Diwali”. Practices vary not just from denomination to denomination and region to region, but even family to family! Nevertheless, there are seven traditions which appear to be universal.
#1 Cleaning of The Home
To symbolize the clearing of grudges and negative energy, homes are cleaned thoroughly every year before Deepavali. In addition to organization and sanitation, items no longer needed but still in good condition are let go through donation.
These actions are performed as an expression of respect to the Goddess Lakshmi (embodiment of purity and prosperity) and an invitation into their space. At the same time, it’s believed that cleanliness repels the Goddess Alakshmi (embodiment of misfortune) who favors cluttered environments.
#2 Creation of Kolam
The Tamil word ‘Kolam’ refers to geometric beauty and that's exactly the kind of beauty you'll find at the entrances of Indian homes around the world this season. Made with chalk, rice flour, flower petals, and sand, these doorstep decorations are traditionally drawn by the trained hands of Indian women to welcome the Goddess Lakshmi into their tidy homes.
Fun fact: In 2003, Vijaya Mohan set a Guinness World Record for designing the world's largest kolam right here in Singapore!
#3 Performance of Morning Rituals
While morning rituals differ from family to family, many South Indians partake in a pre-dawn purifying oil bath known as Ganga Snanam (translation: Bath in The Ganges). In this ritual, the eldest member of the family places a few drops of oil on everyone's heads before they proceed to massage it across the rest of their body.
It's believed that these oil baths are just as spiritually beneficial as a dip in the Ganges River, which is viewed by Hindus as a sacred body of water with divine purification properties.
#4 Going to The Temple
After performing the morning rituals, families head to the temple to pray. There are over thirty Hindu temples in Singapore, but two are of special significance on Deepavali: Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple and Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple.
Both temples are free to enter, but all worshippers and visitors are required to remove their shoes before stepping in — keep in mind that this rule applies not just to houses of worship, but just about every home in Singapore!
#5 Wearing Colourful Clothes
Halloween has ended and so has orange’s reign as king. On a day like Deepavali, every shade gets to shine! Well, almost every shade — according to tradition, black and white are two colors which celebrants should avoid wearing due to their associations with death and mourning.
On the flip side, vibrant hues like royal blue, emerald green, and ruby red are very much in this season; to everyone who said I'd never wear my neon jack-o’-lantern top again, look at me now!
#6 Visiting Friends and Family
Throughout human history, communal feasting has been an essential part of celebrations. However, only a fraction of these celebrations focus as much as the festival of lights does on sweet treats. These sweet treats are known as mithaiin the Indian community, and are distributed to friends and family every year on Deepavali.
Much like kolams, mithai comes in all shapes and colors and are often made with just a few ingredients such as milk, sugar, nuts, and ghee. One popular example is the shiny diamond-shaped sweet known as Kaju Katli, which includes an ingredient you'd be hard-pressed to find in any other dessert: edible silver!
#7 Lighting of Diyas
In the evening, handcrafted oil lamps made of clay or terracotta are lit and placed around the home as yet another invitation to the Goddess Lakshmi and to symbolize the triumph of light over darkness. These holy handicrafts are known as diyas.
One doesn't need to look any further than the name ‘Deepavali’ to understand the massive significance of these little lamps — the Sanskrit deepavali means "row of lights" ("deep" meaning diya and "avali" meaning row!)
What Can You Do?
If you'd like to join in on the fun this weekend, take a trip down to Little India! Here’s some stuff worth checking out when you arrive:
Indian Heritage Centre
The Indian Heritage Centre (located at 5 Campbell Ln) is a great spot to check out any time of year, but its Deepavali Open House ends this Sunday! Free experiences include a weekend bazaar, DIY mini mithai box, clay brooch painting, heirloom saree corner and photobooth, and a museum tour. Do take note that some of these experiences are only available on certain days at certain times so make sure to check out their website and plan your visit accordingly!
A2B Veg Restaurant
While you and I may not agree on the best way to brew a cup of chai, the sheer number of restaurant options in Little India can be overwhelming to first-time visitors; I’ve decided it'd be best if I narrow it down for you! A2B Veg Restaurant is a household name among Indians in Singapore and you'll find multiple outlets in Little India; I'm partial to the diner booth-esque seats you'll find at 462 Serangoon Road, but you'll find delicious mithai and aromatic tea served in traditional tumblers regardless of which location you include in your itinerary.
The Little India Atmosphere
In all honesty, walking around Little India can be a delightful sensory experience in and of itself. From the fragrant flower shops and fruit sellers to colorful saree boutiques and speedy tailors, there's such a large variety of people and places to see in this historic neighborhood. In other words, don't worry if you mistime your museum visit or can't get a table at any of the A2Bs — just pick up a jasmine garland, take out your camera, and enjoy the lights.
Happy Deepavali!
