“May the Diyas light lead you onto the road of growth and prosperity” ~ Anonymous
In a time long before civilization as we know it came into existence, the mighty Lord Rama rescued his wife Sita from an evil king in the land of Lanka before they returned home on a path lit by glowing lanterns as far as the eye could see. However, some people would tell you that on this day, Lord Krishna saved his people from the demon Narakasura, and they celebrated the day by lighting earthen lamps in every household. Trying to pinpoint the origins of Deepavali, or Diwali, does not do justice to the hundreds of other legends about the fabled holiday, each uniquely beautiful in their own right. But this festival has always, and will always be celebrated by one thing: lights. A lot of lights.
To this day, the lights of Deepavali are synonymous to the national holiday in both Malaysia and Singapore, with millions celebrating it every year. Individuals bathe themselves in ritual oil early in the morning, before walking to temples so colorfully ornamented by flowers and carvings of miniature gods and goddesses that they look like they came straight from a Wes Anderson movie. For the rest of the day, people visit friends and families to eat snacks inside houses adorned by lanterns and kolams - patterns on the floor made from coloured powder. If you’re lucky, a household might even invite you inside to snack on some Murukku.
But Deepavali is also a chance for us to reflect on how Hindu culture has shaped our society. Even before pre-colonial times, there was already a significant Indian presence in the region, when powerful Hindu kingdoms such as the Majapahit and Srivijaya empires dominated the coastlines of peninsular Malaysia and Singapore as powerful centres of trade. But it was when the Portuguese and British Empires took control of Malaysia and Singapore that Tamil migrants began arriving from colonial India en masse. This influx of workers brought free labour and extensive trade for the colonists at the time, but they also brought their traditions and culture along with them.
Perhaps the most apparent influence on our society is the language itself. We don’t know precisely how many words of Indian origin there are in Bahasa Malaysia, but the fact that “Bahasa” itself is a Sanskrit word certainly helps us visualise the scope of influence. Every time we sing “Negaraku” or utter the word “Singapore”, we are actually speaking Sanskrit. However, not all words have ancient Sanskrit origins. Everyday words like ‘roti’ (bread), ‘kedai’ (shop), and ‘kota’ (city) have all slipped into the language from Hindi and Tamil during the colonial era.
But that’s only scratching the surface of Indian culture in Malaysia. Indian communities in Malaysia and Singapore have come a long way from trading kingdoms and colonialism to form their own unique culture in the place they call home, and it is paramount that we recognize them as a distinct community of people. Take for example Roti Canai, or Roti Prata depending on where you’re from. The dish is synonymous with Malaysian and Singaporean culture, but we all know it has traditional Indian roots. Surprisingly, Roti Canai isn’t a purely Indian dish. You won’t be able to find it in coffee shops and food halls in India like you do in Malaysia. It’s a dish unique to Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, because native Indian communities in the region have developed it after integrating and interacting with the diversity of cultures in the region. This reminds us that there is no homogenous Malaysian or Singaporean culture: we are just extremely lucky to be born during the most diverse period of history the region has ever seen.
If you’re reading this, you’re probably already in Toronto or soon to be in Toronto, trying to enjoy your reading week and recover from the scars your midterms left you. It can be easy to forget about Deepavali in a place like Toronto- it (sadly) isn’t recognized as a public holiday, decorations aren’t widespread, and it’s a little too cold around this time of the year for the usual outdoor festivities that you would usually expect for Deepavali. However, if you can find any, I urge you to go to a Diwali open house celebration. Pay a visit to a local Hindu temple near you. If you forgot to do so, phone up friends or family who celebrate and wish them a late Deepavali. After all, just like the glowing lights in Deepavali, we would not be who we are without them.
Happy (late) Deepavali!
The MSSA team
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