Monday 01-11-2021 - 16:12

Our Diwali Celebration Event

 

Visit our Diwali celebration on 5 November 2021 at The Union, Main Hall. Come down and engage in Indian culture, and share the experience with your friends. There’ll be food, music, dance performances, and Mehendi (henna).

 

To show you what Diwali means to those who celebrate it, here is Supraja Srinivasan's experiences and memories of Diwali:

 

 

"Wake up! It's almost time, you don't want to be late!"

 

Every year back home, Diwali or Deepavali, began with my parents trying to get me out of bed before sunrise, so I don't miss the 'muhurtam'(auspicious time).

 

After I'd wake up, I would sit on a small wooden plank, after which either my grandmother would apply 'kumkumam'(vermillion) on my feet and then massage oil onto my hair. This was then washed off in the shower using herbs and 'shikakai'. This ritual is called the 'Gangasnanam'(holy bath). It symbolises the washing away of jealousy, ego, and fights but for a healthier and well-being purpose.

 

Once the ritual was complete, I'd wear my new clothes and run out of the house to be the first to burst firecrackers in the lane. It was always a competition, there was a certain joy and thrill in being the family that kick starts that year's Diwali celebrations. Once the firecrackers start, there's no stopping them for a good 2 hours at least. They would be a wake-up call for everyone in the lane and once they joined in, it would go on for hours.

 

Around noon, once the first round of bursting crackers stopped, my parents and I would go visit our neighbours and relatives to take their blessings and distribute hampers containing sweets and savouries. A typical hamper at my house would consist of all the sweets and savouries made by my parents and grandmother, so you'd find 'rava-ladoo', 'shakarpaara', 'mixture', 'murukku', 'sheedai' and the most delicious '7-cupcake'(a type of sweet made of condensed milk) in the little hamper bag. Once we'd distribute them, we'd get back home.

 

The spectacle of a true Diwali celebration is in the night. So, when we are up from our midday nap, we'd wear our new clothes and start to arrange 'diyas' (oil lamps) inside the house and in our balconies. Apart from the traditional 'diyas' many people also light lanterns and put up 'fairy lights' to decorate their houses.

 

According to the Hindu Mythology, Lord Ram returned from his 14-year exile along with his wife, Sita and brother Lakshman and to celebrate his return, people in his kingdom lit ‘diyas’ and celebrated with fireworks. This is how the tradition of Diwali or the ‘Festival of lights’ began. It also symbolised the victory of good over evil or light over darkness.

 

In the evening, everyone would gather in the communal areas or their terraces to view the dazzling fireworks lit up the night sky. Golden, red, blue, pink one after another the fireworks would leave everyone mesmerised. Families would gather to light the firecrackers together. This would go on until midnight.

 

Although Diwali is a Hindu festival, people from different religious faiths would come together and celebrate. After all, festivals were always meant to tie people together, to make sure everyone takes a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life and gets quality time to be with their family and loved ones at least once a year.

 

That to me, is the most memorable part of Diwali, spending time with my family and all my friends.