KUCHING: Deepavali celebration returns once more as restrictions have been eased and the Indian community can now celebrate after a two-year hiatus.
The Festival of Lights, which is synonymous with spices, lights and colours, is being celebrated today. Sarawakians can now visit their Hindu friends for authentic Indian food.
The local community in Kuching will have their celebrations here and for some, they may head back to West Malaysia to celebrate with their families and friends there.
However, they hope that the state government will gazette a public holiday for the festival.
Indian Association Kuching (IAK) president Anthony Ramanair told New Sarawak Tribune in a phone interview that he would often visit friends during the Deepavali celebration.
But he also cautioned against going overboard with the celebration and to be always careful even if the restrictions had been lifted.
“Usually during Deepavali, in the temples, prayers would be held in the mornings and this happens every year and individuals would go for house visitings,” he said.
He added that even though Deepavali is not being declared as a public holiday in Sarawak, he hoped one day it would happen.
“I remember in 2005, as the president of the Indian Association Kuching to have a public holiday for the Indians.
“Nothing much has happened since, but recently a few months ago, the Premier did say he would discuss the matter with the attorney general during the earth breaking ceremony for the Gurdwara (Sikh temple), so anything could happen,” he said.
He also revealed that last week, the Kuching City South Council mayor, Datuk Wee Hong Seng had invited the association to the White Cat statue in Padungan to mark the celebration .
Ramanair, also pointed out that during the days leading up to Deepavali, there are food, traditional cakes, lights and other religious activities taking place.
On the same note, he said that Indians celebrating Deepavali, who are working as civil servants, can apply for unrecorded leave.
