Dear friends, 

I would like to wish all of you a very Happy Deepavali. Spend some quality 
time with your family, friends and beloved ones. This is a time of the year 
that we should put-away the materialistic living, and come to reality that we 
need each other to survive immaterial of race, religion, and color. We are all 
humans on the eye of the earth, and shall see from the same eyes. 


Learn to love everyone so that everyone would love you the same. Hate and 
anger is not going to bring us peace, happiness and prosperity. One is just 
hurting one’s self by carrying the cancer of anger and hate. 


If I had hurt you in anyway, I do humbly ask for forgiveness. 

Learn to give so that you will be given. 


Valgha Valargha (Prosper with Prosperity) 


VeeJay 

May the Light of Deepavali brightens your life. 

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Indian-Malaysian 

_________________________________________________________________________________ 
 

Let the light shine through 

By SHAILAJA MENON 

India is a land of great cultural diversity and richness but the one festival 
that unites all the different castes is Deepavali. A Sanskrit word, Deepavali 
literally means “a row of lights”. The festival is celebrated across India and 
beyond with fervour and gaiety to ward off the darkness and welcome the light. 

Subarna Chakravarty Prabhakar, 31, a Bengali who grew in Mumbai, confesses: 
“My family has lived in Mumbai for as long as I can remember so we tend to 
adopt some of the customs followed there. 

“For me, Deepavali has always been a time of great joy and peace. My mother 
made sure that we were all involved in the preparation for Deepavali and 
contributed in what little way we could. 

“Preparation always began with an annual housecleaning long before the actual 
day itself. Deepavali cards and greetings were sent out to friends and 
relatives far and near. We all pitched in to help make the sweets. 

“Our traditional Bengali sweets are made of semolina, coconut, flour and ghee. 
Savouries too are prepared, like nimki, which is made of refined wheat, and 
chakli, which is made of rice flour.” 

Bengalis celebrate Deepavali or Diwali, as it is known in north India, over 
three days, explains Subarna. Dhantrayodashi (also known as Dhanteras), the 
first day of Diwali is considered very auspicious. 

The word “Dhan” denotes wealth and the women of the house buy gold, silver or 
anything made of metal as this signifies lasting prosperity. 

On the second day, Choti Diwali, or small Diwali, 14 lamps are lit around the 
house signifying the attempt to dispel darkness and ignorance by spreading the 
radiance of love and wisdom. On Badi Diwali or big Diwali, the day is spent 
visiting close family and friends and exchanging sweets, lighting firecrackers 
and partaking in feasts. 

Deepavali signifies the return of Lord Rama to his kingdom of Ayodhya after 14 
long years in exile to kill the evil Ravana, thus marking the triumph of good 
over evil. 

Continues Subarna, “We also do a Lakshmi puja on Choti Diwali, where the 
goddess Lakshmi is worshipped for wealth and prosperity, and a Kali puja on 
Badi Diwali to propitiate the goddess Kali.” 

“Over the three days of Diwali,’’ reveals Subarna, “the house is decorated 
with alpona (rice powder mixed with water) and on the night of Choti Diwali, 
you use it to ‘draw’ the feet of Lakshmi entering your house. Strings of 
flowers are used to decorate the puja (prayer) room and the rest of the 
house.” 

It’s not called the festival of lights for nothing, says Subarna. “Several 
kinds of lights are used including electric lights, diyas (small, beautifully 
decorated lamps fashioned out of clay, filled with oil and lit), candles and 
kandeels (paper lanterns) to decorate the house during Diwali. 

“The paper lanterns are ingenious: shapes range from the regular stars and 
squares to the S.S. Titanic! Diyas in their various shapes and forms are now a 
major fashion statement in Mumbai and are even given as gifts. Streets and 
shops are lit up for a whole month before Diwali and vie to be the most 
attractively decorated around.’’ 

Subarna recalls with nostalgia: “A walk along the streets of Mumbai on 
Deepavali has always been the highlight for me. The entire city is transformed 
into a fairyland, with lights and flowers decorating every house. The general 
atmosphere of hope, joy and bonhomie gives me a sense of comfort of being in 
touch with my roots and culture”. 

For Seema Chandnani, 29, a Sindhi, who grew up in the city of Hyderabad, the 
onset of Deepavali is heralded by a thorough cleaning of the house that begins 
as far back as a month and half before the actual festival. 

The cleaning is significant, she explains, because, “The goddess Lakshmi is 
said to visit the house on Deepavali day so the house and the surroundings are 
cleaned in anticipation of that.” 

Sweets too have to be prepared well in advance, as exchanging sweets and other 
gifts amongst friends and family is an important part of the celebration. 
Sindhis prepare their traditional sweets, like laai which is made from rice 
flakes and lentils. 

For the traditional Deepavali dinner, it is customary to make a mixed 
vegetable dish comprising seven different kinds of vegetables. On auspicious 
days like Deepavali, most Hindus, including Seema and her family, tend to be 
vegetarian. 

Other preparations include buying new clothes for the occasion. Men buy gold 
jewellery for their mothers, wives and daughters as this is said to usher in 
prosperity. The house is decorated with new things and, in the evenings, diyas 
are lit so that the house exudes warmth and light. 

Seema recounts, “The day begins very early for most households as everybody is 
filled with anticipation and joy. Everybody dresses in festive finery. Some of 
the members of the house go visiting friends and family, exchanging good 
wishes and sweets while others stay back as there will be many visiting us as 
well. In the evening, the new clothes and jewellery are worn and everybody 
goes to their place of work to perform the Lakshmi puja, a prayer to the 
Goddess of Wealth to shower them with prosperity. After the prayers are over, 
the youngsters in the house seek the blessings of the elders who in turn, give 
them some cash. After that, crackers are lit symbolising happiness and 
celebration.” 

One of the most striking customs which characterises the spirit of Deepavali 
is the large-scale gambling, especially in North India. 

It is believed that whoever gambles on Deepavali night will prosper throughout 
the coming year. Deepavali also coincides with New Year in Gujrat, and amongst 
the Jain merchant communities old accounts are closed. The first day after 
Deepavali is considered the first day of the new financial year and new 
account books are opened with the blessings of the goddess Lakshmi. 

Senthil Dhruva Kumar, 31, a Telegu Chettiar who lives in the city of 
Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu says, “The first sign of Deepavali is the burning of 
crackers which commences five days before the actual date. We make sweets and 
distribute them to all our friends and family both before and on the actual 
day itself. 

“Deepavali day begins with a ritual oil bath, after which we place the new 
clothes in the puja room to be blessed. After a bath, we drink a spicy 
concoction of ground pepper, aniseed, cardamom, coriander seeds and several 
other exotic ingredients. We then perform a simple prayer at home, after which 
the elders give cash to the youngsters. 

“The entire family then goes outside and lights crackers till late in the 
morning, after which we have a huge breakfast. 

“Being in the jewellery business, the months leading up to Deepavali are very 
hectic with sales and other promotions held,” says Senthil. “During the good 
times, our employees in the retail showroom are given their salary and bonuses 
well in advance, as this is the time when most people splurge on clothes, 
jewellery, crackers and sweets for their families.” 

On a personal note, on account of being a Malayali, Deepavali does not figure 
in the official list of festivals that we celebrate but having lived in 
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, all of my growing years, the spirit of Deepavali is 
embedded deep in my soul. 

The mention of Deepavali brings to mind the memory of being woken up to the 
sound of crackers as early as three in the morning and joining in by lighting 
sparklers, flower pots and rockets. The entire night sky would be illuminated 
with the sights and sounds of crackers going off all over town! 

Temples resounded with the prayers of the faithful who thronged to worship the 
deities and receive their blessings on the auspicious day. Greetings and good 
wishes poured in via telephone, cards and personal visits. 

The only difference I can perceive with regard to the celebration of Deepavali 
in Malaysia is the concept of “open house”, which I think is a uniquely 
Malaysian custom. But the spirit of Deepavali remains the same as goodwill and 
bonhomie abound, encompassing both the celebrants and those who partake in the 
celebrations. 

Happy Deepavali! 

http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2001/11/10/features/depavali&sec=features