Deepavali (Festival of Lights)

The Festivals of Lights or Deepavali is celebrated by Hindus throughout the world. Deepavali literally means row of lights. Northern Indians call the festival “Diwali”. Though the festival is celebrated by both North and South Indians, their practices and customs differ.

There are many legends associated with the celebration of Deepavali which falls in the month of Aipasi (between October and November).

One legend relates how Narakasura won the favor of God and was blessed with the rule of a kingdom. However, he ruled his kingdom with terror and cruelty. His ill treated subjects appealed to Lord Sri Krishna, the divine ruler of Madura for help and Narakasura was subsequently killed by Lord Krishna in battle. On Lord Krishna’s return, the city was in complete darkness as it was a new moon night. To celebrate the victory and welcome Lord Krishna, the people lit lamps to light the way. To this day, Hindus mark the victory of Lord Krishna over King Narakasura by lighting lamps.

The epic Ramayana relates another story on the origins of Deepavali. In the Ramayana its legendary hero Lord Rama was deprived of his rightful ascend to the throne and exiled to the forests for 14 years by his stepmother who then crowned her own son Bharatha as King of Atuthya. As a filial son, Lord Rama only returned from exile to Ayuthya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, after 14 years. Deepavali is believed to be celebrated in honour of Lord Rama’s return from exile. Both the legends signify the winning of good over evil and of light over darkness.

South Indian Hindus celebrate Deepavali at dawn when the whole family wakes up before sunrise for a ritualistic oil bath. The head of the household dabs a drop of gingelly oil on everyone’s head before their bath. This symbolic purification rite marks a new beginning. Hindus then dress in their new best clothes and visit the temple to offer prayers to God and to make new resolutions.

During Deepavali, the entrance to Hindu homes is decorated with fresh mango leaves and kolams (Indian floor art). It is believed that the Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi, will only enter a home that is adorned with a kolam. Modern Singaporeans adorn their homes with tinsel and plastic decorations shaped to look like mango leaves. Instead of a kolam hand drawn with rice flour what one would probably see are stickers with intricate kolam motifs pasted in front of a Hindu home in Singapore today.

Sweet delicacies like jelebi (deep fried batter in syrup), ney urundai (green mung bean sweets) are served with traditional breakfast which would include thosai (rice flour pancakes) and iddiyappam (rice flour hoppers). Savory delicacies like murukku (crunchy snack) and vadai (lentil cake) are also served.

Festivities for the day would include feasting on traditional foods, visiting with friends and relatives, offering prayers for the Lord, and lighting of oil lamps around the home. The rows of oil lamps placed in the home are believed to usher in all that is good. Children celebrate the day playing with sparklers.

It is during the Deepavali season that the deceased are especially missed and remembered. Hindus honour the departed souls of loved ones a week before Deepavali with offerings and prayers. The head of the household symbolically places favourite foods, sweets, fruits and flowers in front of the photograph of the deceased and offers a feast to visitors.

In Singapore, Little India is transformed into a fairyland with an explosion of vibrant, colourful arches and lights during the Deepavali festive season. Festive bazaars and cultural performances pepper the streets along Serangoon Road during this month.

Tamil New Year

Puthandu or Tamil New Year falls in the month of Chittirai (April) as per the Indian almanac. It is celebrated by Tamilians all over the world which is supposedly the day when Lord Brahman started creation. Tamil New year is also known as Varusha Pirappu. ‘Varusham’ is the Tamil word for ‘year’ and ‘Pirappu” can be translated as ‘birth’ or ‘beginning’. Puthandu or Varusha Pirappu is significant as it is believed to be indicative of how the rest of the year will be. Therefore, people only entertain positive thoughts and engage in meaningful activities on this day.

The excitement begins a two weeks before the New Year. Families go shopping for new clothes. Homes are thoroughly cleansed and even repainted. Mothers and grandmothers make plenty of sweet and savory snacks in preparation for the big celebrations when relatives and friends visit.

Each family will begin their Tamil New Year celebrations with the lighting of the Kuttu Villaku (traditional oil lamp) which is placed next to the Niraikudam (a brass container filled to the brim with holy water, decorated with mango leaves and where a husked coconut is placed on the mouth of the pot) in the family altar. Prayers are offered to the Gods after which elders make their gifts of money to all members of the family. The day also starts with the viewing of auspicious things including gold and silver jewellery, betel leaves, nuts, fruits, flowers, raw rice and coconut which are placed in the family altar or prayer room.

People welcome the New Year with kolams, colourful floor art decorations at the entrance of their homes. Festoons of mango leaves or flowers are hung at the doorway. A lavish feast is organized in which pulses and cereals form part of the main menu. Another important dish served during Puthandu is maanga pachadi (a dish made of raw mangoes, jaggery and neem flowers)

Relatives and friends make their rounds of visits to homes passing on wishes of a prosperous and healthy, year with warm greetings of Puthaandu Vaalthukal (Happy New Year)!

Pongal is traditional Indian harvest festival and is also known as Sankaranthi. It originated in South India as a community festival in celebration of a bountiful harvest. In modern Singapore this festival is celebrated as the commencement of the auspicious month of Thai.

Pongal is a festival when God is praised with simple faith and sincerity. Old vices are washed out and all that is good is welcomed in the New Year.

Pongal festivities go on for 4 days and are different day to day. The first day is called Bhogi Pongal which is celebrated within the family. This first day is celebrated in honour of Lord Indra, the supreme ruler of clouds that give rains. On the second day which is Surya Pongal, the worship of Surya Bhagawan, the sun God, takes place. The third day is Mattu Pongal. On this day, cattle which are sacred in Hinduism are honoured and worshipped. Cattle are revered as traditionally in India they are used to plough the fields which yield bountiful harvests. On this day the cattle are bathed, their horns polished and their bodies painted with bright colours. Multi-coloured beads, tinkling bells, sheafs of corn and flower garlands are tied around their necks. The fourth day of Pongal is referred to a Kaanum Pongal when colouful rice is fed to the crows and birds. The feeding of the birds is usually carried out by sisters for the welfare of their brothers. This practice dates back to the old days when young men were required to go out and work the fields to feed the family.

On the first day of Pongal, Hindu homes start the day with the preparation of pongal (sweet sticky rice) cooked in a new pot. Pongal literally means to boil over and hence the pot of rice is allowed to boil over as a sign of prosperity. Vegetables, sugar cane and spices are offered to the Gods and later consumed by the family to cleanse themselves of their past sins. Pongal rice is also prepared at all the temples and special prayers are conducted on these days.

For four days, Hindu temples throughout Singapore will be ringing with the rhythmic sounds of drums, clarinets and conch shells as Hindus celebrate Pongal festival.

Thaipusam (Day of Thanksgiving)

Thaipusam which falls in the Tamil month of Thai (usually January/ February) is an annual procession by Hindu devotees seeking blessings, fulfilling vows and offering thanks. Thaipusam is celebrated in honour of Lord Subrahmanya (also known as Lord Murugan) who represents virtue, youth and power to Hindus and is the destroyer of evil.

The festival generally lasts two days. On the first day before Thaipusam, a statue of Lord Subrahmanya decorated with jewels and finery and together with his two consorts, Valli and Devayani, is placed on a chariot and brought in procession. In Singapore, the chariot procession begins from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple at Serangoon Road to the Layan Sithi Vinayagar Temple at Keong Siak Road. The procession symbolizes the blessings sought by Lord Subrahmanya from his elder brother Lord Vinayagar.

Thaipusam ceremony starts in the early hours of the morning when the first batch of devotees of Lord Subrahmanya carrying milk pots and wooden kavadis leave Sri Srinvasa Perumal Temple for Sri Thendayuthapani Temple at Tank Road. The milk in the pots they carry are offered to the deity of Lord Subrahmanya at Sri Thendayuthapani Temple. Some devotees pierce their tongues with skewers and carry a garlanded wooden arch across their shoulders. Others devotees may carry a kavadi (semi circular metal structure decorated with peacock feathers, flowers and plam leaves). The spiked kavadis which require elaborate preparations leave the temple in the later part of the morning and continue till night.

Carrying kavadi is a popular form of devotion for Hindus. It is usually carried in fulfillment of a vow that a devotee would have taken. Placing a kavadi at the end of the foot procession at the altar of Lord Subrahmanya and making an offering of milk symbolizes the cleansing of the mind and soul and seeking of blessings.

In preparation for carrying a kavadi, a devotee has to prepare himself spiritually. For a period of about a month, the devotee must live a life of abstinence whilst maintaining a strict vegetarian diet. It is believed that only when the mind is free of material wants and the body free from physical pleasures that a devotee can undertake the sacred task without feeling any pain.

Navarathiri (which means “nine nights” in Tamil) is celebrated in honour of Mother Goddess Rajarajeshwari who takes the form of various Goddesses; Sri Durga (representing power), Sri Lakshmi (representing wealth) and Sri Saraswathy (representing knowledge). For nine nights the temples in Singapore echo with the exotic sounds of Indian music, songs and dances in honour of Goddess Rajarajeshwari. The nine nights festival is divided into three segments of three nights, each dedicated to one Goddess at a time.
Each day, observers of this festival either fast or take only one meal a day. Abstinence and austerity is observed during this period. An interesting feature of the festival is golu meaning display of various idols of Hindu gods, goddesses, sages, poets, mythological characters, war heroes, national leaders, animals, etc are displayed on a row of steps called Golu Padi. Giving thambulams is as important as the Golu itself and is an integral part of Golu. Thambulam is a gift consisting of betel leaves, betel nuts, turmeric, vermilion, flowers and some fruit. Coconut, glass bangles, a bindi / kumkum container, a small mirror are also added to the thambulam. Affluent families also add small trinkets, small pictures or idols of Hindu gods, goddesses and other such useful items. Served during Navarathiri is the delicious and mouth watering soondal (a dish of cooked pulses).
In commercial organizations, business houses, shops and establishments the eighth day is celebrated as Ayudha Pooja. The office or place of business is cleaned and given a new look. All the machines, equipments, tools etc. that are used in the organization are cleaned and smeared with sandalwood paste and vermilion and adorned with flowers.
In Hindu homes, on the ninth day or Navami, prayers are offered to Goddess Saraswathi the Goddess of Knowledge. Books of children and youngsters as well as musical instruments are placed before the Goddess on that day and pujas (prayers) performed. Hindus believe that the Goddess resides in books, in all forms of reading / learning material as also in musical instruments. The placing of these items in worship is therefore a sign of respect to those forms that impart knowledge to us.
On the tenth night, also known as Vijayadhashami (meaning the Day of Victory), the statue of Mother Goddess, splendidly adorned with flowers and jewellery is placed on a chariot and paraded around the temple in a symbolic victory of the Goddess over the demon Mahishasuran. According to Hindu mythology, a very powerful asura (demon king) Mahishasuran, prayed to the almighty and asked for a boon - that his death should at the hands of a woman and by no other human being or any form of living being.

On being granted his wish, he started inflicting atrocities on all human beings on the earth. He considered himself to be immortal as he thought that it was impossible for a woman or any female form of a human being to be powerful enough to kill him. When his cruelty became unbearable, people prayed to Sakthi the consort of Lord Shiva to save them from the demon and to provide them with salvation. Sakthi then took the form of Durga and slayed the demon. The fight between Durga and Mahishasuran is said to have lasted for nine days and nights.

Theemidhi or Fire Walking Ceremony honours Goddess Draupadi, heroine of the epic poem “Mahabarata” and deified by the Hindus if South India as Draupadi Amman. Legend has it that she had to prove her innocence and fidelity by walking barefoot over hot coals. For weeks before the ceremony, devotees practice strict vegetarianism and fasting rituals in addition to observing austerities.

Every year, Theemidhi is celebrated in the month of October or November. On the actual day, the ceremony starts at 1.00am at the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple where the devotees take ritual baths before setting off on a 4km walk to Sri Mariamman Temple.

The highlight of the ceremony is the walk devotees make across a pit of fire. The preparation of the four meter long pit of hot, burning coal that usually takes about five hours is especially important and is preceded with prayer and ritual.

Once the pit is ready, the chief priest of Sri Mariamman Temple would take the first walk across the scorching bed of coals. With intense concentration, barefooted devotees who wish to fulfill a vow make their walk across the pit – completing the challenge miraculously unscathed. Absolute faith, courage and endurance of devotees can be witnessed at this breathtaking ceremony.

The festival is observed in the month of Maargazhi (Dec-Jan). Devotees undertake a fast and keep themselves awake throughout the night. They participate in group singing (kirthans or bhajans), chant Lord Vishnu’s various names, do meditation and visit Vishnu temples. A sanctified gateway in the temple (sorka-vaasal or Vaikunda dwaaram) is thrown open on this day and devotees pass through this symbolic gate of Heaven or Vaikunda, the abode of Lord Vishnu.

Vaikunda Ekadesi is one of the major festivals observed at the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple annually.

The 14th day of the dark half of every month- Krsna Chaturdasi- is called Sivaratri. The one in the month of Magha (February-March) is christened Mahasivaratri, since it is the greatest and darkest night of all.
Of all the major Hindu festivals, Mahasivaratri is the only one wherein the seriousness part is predominant. There is practically no festivity, revelry or gaiety in its observance, the whole thing being one of continuous solemnity. This is but natural since Siva is the god of the ascetics, the very incarnation of vairagya or renunciation! The basic disciplines to be kept up on this day are ahimsa (non-injury), satya (speaking the truth), brahmacharya (continence), daya (compassion), ksama (forgiveness) and anasuyata (absence of jealousy).

Fasting is one of the most essential aspects on this day. So is jagarana or keeping vigil in the night. Worship of Siva throughout the night, bathing the Sivalinga with panchamrta (five tasty things- milk, curds, ghee, sugar and honey), homa , japa (chanting) of the mulamantra (basic mantra, viz., Om Namas Sivaya) and prayer for forgiveness- are the other items involved in its observance.

Chitra Pournami is observed on the full moon day in the month of Chitirai (April/May). In this month, the sunshine is in its entire splendour, and the moon which borrows its luster from the sun is just as resplendent. The day is believed to be conducive to the happiness of humanity in general.

According to Hindu mythology, Chithragupta, the chief accountant of Lord Yama or the God of Death, keeps a record of all the good and bad deeds of men. On the day of Chitra Pournami or full moon day, which falls in the Tamil month of Chittirai, people make special offerings to please Chithragupta. The full moon shining in all its splendour is a sight to watch. Special prayers are arranged at all the temples.

Vinayagar or Ganesha Sathurthi is widely celebrated by Hindus everywhere. It is the day that is most sacred to Lord Ganesha. The festival is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada. This typically comes sometime between 20th of Aug and 15th of September. The festival lasts for 10 days in India. The main sweet-dish during the period is modakas, also known as modagams in South India. A modaka is a sort of dumpling made from rice flour with a stuffing of coconut, jaggery (brown sugar) and some other condiments. It can be either steam-cooked or fried and the coconut can be fresh-grated or dried-grated.

Legends say that Lord Ganesha was created by Goddess Parvati, wife of Lord Shiva. Parvati created Ganesha out of the sandalwood dough that she used for her bath and breathed life into him. Letting him stand guard at the door she went to have her bath. However, while Parvati was taking her bath, Lord Shiva happened to come there and as Ganesha didn't know him, he didn't allow him to enter the house. As a result, Lord Shiva got angry and he Shiva severed the head of the child and entered his house. But after realizing that he had beheaded his own son, Lord Shiva fixed the head of an elephant in place of Ganesha's head. In this way, Lord Ganesha acquired the image of the elephant-headed God.
Special prayers are performed for Ganesha. The worship of the deity involves getting a corner ready to receive the god. Sixteen orderly steps are planned out for the prayer. Ganesha is invited with a special phrase and with material and verbal offerings, the prayer begins. It involves the panchamrut or 'five nectars', which include milk, curd, ghee, honey and jaggery, with which the god's icon is bathed, cleansing in between with water.
Each of the 'nectars' has an origin in tradition. Thus, the milk is that of kamdhenu (the wish-fulfilling heavenly cow), the curd represents the white, smooth and cool luster of the moon, the ghee is the food of the gods themselves with a long Vedic past, honey - the extract of all herbs, is the essence of life with herbal healing powers and jaggery -extract of sugarcane, a representation and the epitome of sweetness.