By Nrl Liya
Edited by Syafiqah Suhaimi
1.1
Deepavali, for some Malaysians, occasionally connotes the idea of a holiday. Malaysians, as we well know, love all the holidays that are celebrated in Malaysia. But have you ever wondered what Deepavali means and what kind of celebration it actually is?
What is Deepavali?
Deepavali, more commonly known as Diwali, means the ‘Festival of Lights’. This celebration belongs to the Hindu faith and their belief in the significance of light to human beings. Now, what does that mean? In Hinduism, the celebration of light signifies the victory of light over darkness, which is actually rooted in one of their legends. I will further discuss the history of Deepavali below!
Etymologically, the name Deepavali came from the row of clay lamps that the Hindus light up in rows in front of their home to symbolise the light that protects their house from spiritual darkness. The combination of clay lamps (deep) and the row (avali) created the word Deepavali.
And just like other holidays, Deepavali, which is usually celebrated over five days, is an opportunity for families to gather and bathe in their culture.
The History behind Deepavali
The celebration of Deepavali is rooted in many history and legends, but one of the most popular legends is commonly known as the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after defeating the demon king Ravana. People welcome the Lord's return by lighting up lamps as a symbol of the victory of righteousness over evil.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. Lord and Demon King, what? Of course, as a Malay myself, I find this new knowledge very new! What does this mean, and who is Lord Rama in Hinduism?
From my brief research, Lord Rama is the seventh avatar of the god Vishnu, as Hinduism believes in the incarnation or manifestation of their deity on Earth. Lord Rama is an important figure in Hinduism as he is among the principal deities alongside Brahma and Shiva.
I’m sure these names will be vaguely familiar to us as we encounter them in our Islamic classes, thanks to IIUM, the Garden of Knowledge.
Thus, as I mentioned above, Deepavali is the Festival of Lights to commemorate the significance of lights that symbolise the defeat of darkness in Hinduism.
How is Deepavali celebrated?
Deepavali is a five-day celebration and there are numerous ways that it is celebrated.
One of the first rituals in Deepavali is the cleansing of their home and decorating it. Cleaning is an act of removing physical and mental impurities. They will also decorate their houses with rangoli, diyas, and decorative lights.
1.2 Rangoli
1.3 Diyas
Other than that, they will light up rows of lamp oils and candles as it is a central figure in the celebration. The lamp oils will be organised in almost every part of their home, as they believe they will attract blessings and prosperity. Furthermore, firecrackers and feasts are conducted during the five-day celebration. Both of these are believed to represent the happiness and joy of Deepavali.
Deepavali is a religious celebration, so it is also celebrated through the performance of worship known as puja, to seek the blessings of the divine. The three more common divinities worshipped during this time were Lord Rama, Goddess Lakshmi, and Lord Ganesha.
To conclude the article, Deepavali is an annual tradition of the Hindu faith to celebrate the lights that symbolise goodness over evil. It promotes righteousness and light that triumph over darkness. Deepavali is celebrated with many traditions and rituals that vary according to the families and cultures of different parts of Hinduism.
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