The West has Halloween, the East has Deepavali
It would seem that October is a pretty happening month in both hemispheres. As we vast approach the end of it, the West is gearing up for Halloween on the 31st and we back here in the East, we’re getting ready for Deepavali – The festival of Lights which will fall on the 27th (for this year).
-
Two persons prepare a Kolum, an ancient Indian intricate art form, using coloured grains of rice, in Kuala Lumpur on Monday. Kolum is used as an embellishment in front of the doorstep as a sign to welcome guests during Divali. — Reuters
Here in Malaysia, Deepavali is a gazetted holiday and therefore another chance for us to celebrate! Now remember I mentioned before in a previous post that the best festivals had to fun, colourful, noisy and meaningful? Well Deepavali is very very colourful and it stands up to its name as ‘The Festival of Lights’. When someone says ‘Deepavali’ I think friendly faces, races united, kolum, oil lamps, delicious sweets and a sea of colours from the dressings.
There’s a beautiful story behind Deepavali. These days’ people just sum it up as the day that marks the triumph of good over evil – the victory of light over dark.
Would you like to hear the story?
