The world of Tzu Chi May 2021 (Vol.134)

T he three Hindu festivals that are familiar to Malaysians are Pongal, which took place on January 14, 2021; Thaipusam on January 28, 2021; and Deepavali, which will take place on November 4, 2021. In fact, none of the festivals mentioned is an Indian New Year. For example, in South India, the Telegu celebrated their New Year on April 13 this year, while the Tamil and Malayali had theirs on April 14. These New Years are not public holidays in Malaysia, and normally, Indian families only conduct family gatherings and visit relatives and friends. Therefore, New Year is relatively quiet, without the exuberance expected of a New Year. Most Malaysians are aware that Deepavali is the Festival of Lights, when Hindus put up decorative lights in and around their houses. This important festival is infused with a special meaning to the Hindus, and has a 5,000 to 7,000 years of history. Compared to the Pongal and Thaipusam festivals which are only celebrated in southern India, Deepavali is celebrated nationwide, including by the Jains and Sikhs. The date and meaning of Deepavali When it comes to the exact date of Deepavali, it is only clear with the Gregorian calendar. However, if one were to refer to the Hindu calendar, one would immediately be faced with many variations. This is due to the uniqueness of the Indian history and culture. For one, different calendars are in use due to the differences across India. As such, Deepavali falls on different days in different regions. For certain regions, the difference may be a day, while for others, they may differ by two or more days. Therefore, only the one officially specified by the Indian central government is quoted as the date of the festival. In India, Deepavali celebration also varies from place to place. Generally, the festival is celebrated over a period of four to six days, with specific focus for each day. According to the official Indian calendar, Deepavali celebration may carry over from the last four days of the month of Ashwin (the sixth month of the Indian calendar, or between September and October in the Gregorian calendar) to the first two days of the new month of Kartika (the eighth month of the Indian calendar, or between mid-October to mid-November in the Gregorian calendar). This is a more common date, but variations may still happen in different Indian states. Now, let us first understand the meaning of “Deepavali”. “Deepa” refers to light and lamp, while “vali” means direction, way, or rows. Hence, the word “Deepavali” can be literally understood as “a whole row of lights”, with a deeper meaning inferring “marching towards the bright path”. As to the use of “Deepavali” and “Diwali”, the former is commonly used in the southern part of India, while the latter (a Hindi word) is commonly used in the North. The legends and Devas of the festival The birth of festivals normally revolves around specific legends, happenings, gods Legends and stories passed down for generations may help preserve important psyche and values, while enhancing one’s inner qualities. Likewise, festive celebrations may help eradicate negative and unwholesome thoughts, like desire, anger, greed, obsession and self-centredness. This is perhaps the deeper meaning of festive celebrations, on top of bringing joy. over Story 2021 • 05 16