Diwali, or Deepavali, as it is known to some, marks the most important date on the calendar of Hindus all over the world. It is also one of the biggest and most widely celebrated religious occasion.Diwali In Singapore, What Is Diwali, Diwali Fun Facts, Holidays In Singapore, Festivals In Singapore, Cultural Awareness, What Is Diwali, Light Festival Diwali,

Across many regions, Diwali takes place over the course of five days and it represents the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. As part of the festivities, families decorate their floors with kolam or rangoli and light oil lamps to symbolized inner enlightenment which protects them from spiritual darkness.

In fact, there is more to this Indian Festival of Lights than just the pretty lights, bright colours, good food and beautiful sarees. Here are 14 interesting things you did not know about this dazzling light festival.

#1 CELEBRATED IN HONOUR OF LAKSHMI, THE HINDU GODDESS OF WEALTH AND PROSPERITY

In the Hindu faith, Lakshmi is the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity and she symbolizes good luck. It is widely believed that Diwali is the day on which Lakshimi would roam the Earth and bless people with wealth.

Photo Credit: mahadev_ka_diwanaa_

#2 CELEBRATED ON THE 15TH DAY OF THE HINDU MONTH OF KARTIKA

According to India’s official holiday calendar, Diwali in 2018 will be on 07 November which coincides with the 15th day of Kartika, the holiest month in the Hindu lunar calendar. Known as the festival of lights, Diwali marks the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness.

Photo Credit: deehkooh

#3 CELEBRATIONS USED TO TAKE PLACE AT HIGH STREET

Located in the Downtown Core, High Street used to be lighted up in festive lights every Diwali. This is because it is home to Sindhi and Sikh jewellers and textile merchants who once ran their businesses there back in the early 1900s.

Photo Credit: chahat_creations_

#4 FINAL DAY OF DEEPAVALI IS KNOWN AS BHAI DOOJ

The final day of Diwali is celebrated as Bhai Dooj and brothers and sisters meet to express their love and affection for each other.

On this day, brothers would visit their sisters and perform a tilak ceremony where their sisters would apply rice and vermilion on the brother’s forehead that symbolises good health and fortune.

Photo Credit: thelotusshakti

#5 FLORAL DRAWINGS ON FLOORS OF HINDU HOMES CREATED USING COLOURED RICE FLOUR

Kolam or Rangoli is a form of drawing that is drawn by using rice flour, chalk or rock powders which is made as a visual form of prayer to welcome deities into homes and ask for blessings. Some also believe that the Kolam or Rangoli stops evil from entering homes.

Photo Credit: vivi_ktanjoeng

#6 HINDU TEMPLES WERE THE CENTRAL SPACE FOR CONGREGATION OF INDIAN PIONEERS

Back in the days, whether they were labourers or civil servants, Hindus temples were the place to visit when it comes to the Indian community’s festive celebrations, especially on the morning of Deepavali.

Photo Credit: bakchormeeboy

#7 INDIAN PERFORMING ARTS

Held during the festive period of Diwali, the Kalaa Utsavam is an annual arts festival that celebrates the Indian arts. This 10-day arts festival presents an exciting line-up of classical and contemporary performances by Indian artists from Singapore and beyond.

Photo Credit: streetsofmadras

#8 INDIAN SWEETS ARE MILK-BASED AND GHEE-BASED

Traditional Indian sweets are mostly milk and nut-based which comes in a wide assortment such as burfi (milk-based sweets), laadu (flour and ghee-based balls) and jalebi (deep-fried flour batter coated in syrup), achu murukku (sweet crunchy snack made from rice flour and coconut milk) and kesari (semolina pudding).

#9 MARKS THE RETURN OF LORD RAM AND SITA

Diwali is primarily celebrated to mark the return of Hindu God, Lord Ram, and his wife, Sita, to their kingdom of Ayodhya after being exiled for 14 years following the defeat of demon king, Ravanna.

To celebrate, the people of Ayodhya illuminated the city with fireworks and diyas (light candles) to welcome them and celebrate their victory.

Photo Credit: kurudimath

#10 NOT THE CELEBRATION OF THE INDIAN NEW YEAR

Deepavali is not a celebration of the Indian New Year and the Indian New Year actually falls in April.

In fact, Diwali is a celebration of the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness in several stories from Hindu mythology and ancient literature.

Photo Credit: s_nilesh_s

#11 OIL BATHS DURING DIWALI CELEBRATIONS

During Diwali or the fourth day of Diwali, the oil bath ritual is practiced in getting rid of dirt and evil and those who do perform the oil bath will be blessed with wealth and prosperity. The traditional method of taking an oil bath is massaging sesame oil or coconut oil all over the body.

Photo Credit: super_handloom_creations

#12 SAREES ARE THE LONGEST PIECES OF GARMENTS IN THE WORLD

Sarees are a traditional Indian costume and worn by numerous Indian women during Diwali. Measuring between 4.5 metres to 8 metres in length, sarees come in multifarious weaves, textures and colours.

Photo Credit: rocky2j13

#13 TAKES PLACE OVER 5 DAYS

Diwali stretches for 5 days and every day has its own significance and importance, with each day dedicated to a different deity.

Dhanteras is the first day of Diwali and it is an auspicious day for purchasing utensils and gold. The second day of Diwali is called Narak Chaturdasi and it signifies the victory of good over evil and light over darkness. Lakshmi Puja is the third day of Diwali and it marks the most important day of Diwali celebrations where Hindu homes light lamps and burst crackers to welcome prosperity. Govardhan Puja is the fourth day of Diwali and it is when people worship their instruments, arms and machinery. The fifth day of Diwali is celebrated as Bhai Dooj, and brothers and sisters meet to express love and affection for one another.

Photo Credit: ron_kuks

#14 WHAT YOU SHOULD SAY DURING DEEPAVALI

‘Shubh Diwali’ or ‘Shubh Deepavali’ means ‘have an auspicious Deepavali’ and it is the greeting exchanged during the festive time. Happy Diwali is fine too but why not use this chance to show off your cultural awareness?

Put all your weekend plans on hold because from 16 November to 18 November 2018, you need to head down to Singapore Turf Club @ Kranji for Let’s Go Jalan Jalan, an inter-generational food and music festival that marries amazing food and live music—all for a single weekend!

A food and music event of mega proportions—we’re looking at more than 130 booths dedicated to food and festival grub alone—this is one event you do not want to miss out on. There are also game stalls scattered all over the event space and even a go-kart. On the main stage, be swept off your feet to the sounds of local musical acts such as ORANGECOVE, Goose (Angus Sham) and local jazz maestro, Robert Fernando.

Suitable for both the young and young at heart who adore good music and better food, you are guaranteed to find a vast diversity of fun things to do here, so if you’re all out of ideas for plans for the family this weekend, you know where to go. Here’s a little insight into the things we saw, did and ate!

BUTTERBEER  – SAIKO BUTTER BREW (BOOTH 125)

Fancy something ice-cold to cool yourself off with? Then you should definitely get yourself a Butter Beer (S$5) from Saiko Butter Brew. Made to taste, look and feel like beer without actually containing any alcohol, the froth at the top is actually made using a butterscotch foam that is both creamy, luscious and well, buttery.

MALA POPCORN CHICKEN – SHACKMIE (BOOTH 75)

Festival grub comes in all shapes and sizes nowadays. Many of them stem from different cuisine and the one that has recently gained quite a following for its sheer versatility is fried chicken.

Over at Shackmie, be sure to try their signature Mala Popcorn Chicken (S$4) that comes coated generously with their own blend of mala powder. Punchy, numbing (just the way we like it) and tasty, this is something that we can imagine ourselves going back for.

SATAY, PUFFS AND OTHER MALAY DELIGHTS – MALAY FOOD BOOTH (LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE MAIN STAGE)

For a hit of nostalgia and the flavours of good-old Singaporean local food, be sure to stop by the Malay food booth right in front of the main stage to savour one of their many traditional Malay delights.

Backed by several years of experience cooking authentic Malay food and ultimately, with lots of heart, their satay, assorted puffs and nasi biryani come with the promise of vibrant flavours and alluring aromas.

DURIAN ICE CREAM – 211 HOUSE OF DURIAN (BOOTH 183)

Being massive fans of the iconic ‘king of fruits’, there was no way that we were going to pass up on the durian ice cream from 211 House Of Durian. A notch more flavourful (and richer) than its recent McFlurry counterpart, we highly recommend getting this if you’re looking to cool off or simply satisfy your craving for durian.

And costing S$5 for a large cone, this is something many people would often brush off, but we assure you that doing so would be a huge mistake.

NEON BUBBLE WAFFLES (BOOTH 194)

Inspired by the popular Hong Kong street food snack, ‘gai dan zai’, this stall sells innovative egg waffles that come in all shapes, colours, fillings and toppings.

We ordered for ourselves their signature Bubble Waffles (S$6) which comes filled with all sorts of sweet, diabetes-inducing delights such as Oreos, whipped cream, M&Ms and more.

CHEESEWHEEL PASTA – GIOIA (BOOTH 120)

When it comes to creamy pasta, cheese is a must—and lots of it. Over at Goia, get your hands on their Cheesewheel Pasta (S$8) that features freshly cooked pasta, mixed around directly on a cheese wheel.

Tossed and swirled until everything is properly covered in cheese, the pasta develops a rich, creamy exterior that tastes as delicious as it looks. S$8 may seem hefty but it really is worth the splurge.

LIVE MUSIC PERFORMANCES (MAIN STAGE)

In between activities, be sure to pop by the Main Stage to check out the repertoire of musical acts in store. The music line-up comprises various local talents ranging from the established musicians to the young and budding ones, so what you can expect is a vibrant mix of sounds from yesteryear and of today.

Let’s Go Jalan
Singapore Turf Club @ Kranji (Carpark B)
16 Nov – 18 Nov 2018
Fri: 5pm – 11pm
Sat & Sun: 11am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Kranji