Deepavali is a Hindu festival that is celebrated by Indians all over the world. Also known as Diwali, it celebrates the triumph of Light over Dark. According to the hindu myth, this was the day that Lord Krishna defeated and killed the demon king Narakasura. Deepavali is also celebrated as the Indian Harvest Festival, when tributes known as lakshmi puja are paid in honor of Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth.
Deepavali is celebrated for a period of five days sometime during the months of October or November. The celebration dates are calculated based on the Hindu Calendar in the month of Kartik, which does not follow the same cycle as the universal Gregorian Calendar, so you would have to check the dates on a yearly basis. In 2012, Deepavali would begin on November 13.
Preparations For Deepavali
Preparations for Deepavali begins weeks before the actual date. Celebrants would be out in town searching for the latest in Indian fashion. Brand new clay lamps and other items for decoration and prayer would be purchased and prepared well in advance.
About a week before Deepavali, the cooking will begin. traditional snacks such as murukku and ommapadi would be deep fried in cooking oil. These are crunchy strings of rice flour and other herbs which is a must have during Deepavali. Other cakes such as laddu and vadai would be prepared a day or two before the date.
But these days, because of lack of time to prepare them, these cakes are mainly purchased in bulk to be served to guests.
The day before Deepavali, before the family dinner, the ladies of the house would create a work of art called the kolum just outside the front entrance. A pattern would be drawn on the floor with chalk. Then they would use colored uncooked rice to fill in the pattern. The pictures drawn would either be religious such as various Hindu gods, symbolic such as peacocks or lamps or just abstract shapes. These patterns are meant as a welcome to guests who visit.
Celebrating Deepavali In Malaysia
On the eve of Deepavali, prayers and offerings would be made at the family altar for deceased loved ones. The male celebrants would visit the graves of the deceased to do a little clean up and make offerings as well. The whole day would be a flurry of activity with last minute cooking and decoration. Then in the evening after the sun sets, everyone gathers at the home of the matriarch for their annual family dinner.
Deepavali day begins very early in the morning with the ritual oil bath known as ganga snanam. This oil bath is symbolic to cleanse themselves of past impurities and to start them fresh for the new year. Prayers are then held again at the family altar as the elders of the family blesses the younger generation.
Then after breakfast, the guests would start pouring in. Malaysia practices a unique cultural experience known as the Open House. This is when your house would be opened at anyone, friend or stranger, to come in and enjoy the celebrations. The visiting would go on throughout the day for the next couple of days until sun down. If you happen to be in Malaysia during Deepavali, take the opportunity to visit one of the Open Houses. If you are not comfortable walking into the house of a stranger, you could always visit the Open Houses organized by various Government bodies or officials. Just check with the hotel that you are staying in and they will guide you to the nearest one.
Deepavali is a very colorful and bright celebration which is a unique Malaysian festival. For more on Deepavali and other Malaysian festivals, visit Holiday To Malaysia at http://holiday-to-malaysia.com today.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Timothy_Kessler
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