PETALING JAYA: On Sunday, Hindus will celebrate Deepavali — or Diwali as it is also known as — which is among Malaysia’s major festivals.
Deepavali signifies the victory of good over evil and since it is also called the festival of lights, the celebrations are not quite complete without decorating one’s home with lighted oil lamps or vilakku.
In many a Hindu household in urban areas, the oil lamps have been replaced by colourful electric string lights to create a festive atmosphere. Not only that, but some of them have also stopped observing customs and traditions associated with the festival.
This trend is worrying Malaysia Hindu Sangam president Datuk RS Mohan Shan, who said that the younger generation has forgotten the true essence of Deepavali and was not even lighting the oil lamps, which is the most basic element of the celebrations.
“Lighting the traditional lamps is a very significant practice for Hindus, particularly during Deepavali when it is a must to display the lighted oil lamps.
“Today’s generation regard Deepavali as a modern festival and seem to have forgotten its significance,” he told Bernama.
Significance of oil lamps
Mohan said the term Deepavali itself, in Tamil, meant ‘rows of light’ which clearly reflected the symbolism of light in the celebrations.
“Its importance cannot be underestimated. Without the lighted lamps, it’s meaningless to celebrate Deepavali,” he said, adding that the lamp is an integral part of Hinduism and that the oil lamp at the altar is lighted up every morning in Hindu households.
Hindus believe that light triumphs over darkness while good overcomes evil; justice, cruelty; and wisdom, ignorance.
Deepavali’s origins can be traced to the legend of a cruel king named Narakasura who oppressed his people, who then invoked the Hindu deity Lord Krishna to help them. The tyrant was eventually defeated and killed by Lord Krishna.
“The people celebrated his death by lighting oil lamps in their homes to symbolise the victory of good over evil. That was how Deepavali came about,” explained Mohan.
Kolam
No Hindu festival or religious celebration is complete without the traditional kolam decoration. The kolam or rangoli is an artwork that is hand-drawn on the floor using rice flour. This Indian art is a symbol of auspiciousness.
Mohan, however, lamented that the younger generation was probably unaware of the true significance behind the kolam.
He said in the past, Hindu households would have the kolam drawn in front of their houses before sunrise every day and the rice flour they used served as a source of food for birds and insects.
“Hinduism encourages its followers to be charitable, including to animals,” he said, adding that these days the kolam is drawn using multicoloured flour.
“There’s nothing wrong in using coloured flour because times have changed. However, we’re worried that our youths won’t know the actual purpose of having the kolam if it is drawn just for the sake of beautifying a place.”
He is, naturally, dead set against the use of the so-called ‘sticker’ kolam, a wide variety of which is available in the market now. To him, the instant kolam is not only meaningless but does not fulfill its true purpose either.
Mohan also said that the Malaysia Hindu Sangam, which has 140 branches nationwide, is organising campaigns, programmes and classes to educate Hindu youths on Deepavali traditions and improve their religious knowledge.
“Deepavali is a joyous occasion but we want our younger generation to continue practising the traditions we have followed for so many years so that these customs don’t disappear altogether,” he added. – Bernama
