Celebrating the Light

Squatting at a corner of King Street amid the human bustle of Penang's Little India, Manickam P. sorts through a giant pile of fresh green banana leaves.

Clad in baggy khaki shorts and a sweat-soaked singlet, he seems to take no notice of either the automobiles that incessantly purr past or the hundreds of human apparitions that mill by him. The elderly odd-job worker certainly has his work cut out for him nowadays.

Sweating with the mid-day heat, he looks up over the stack of leaves fanned along the side of the road, and smiles over his work and the flurry around. "Deepavali," he gushes, his hands moving quickly, tearing thick spines off the big fronds.

Manickam is not the only one in the historic cultural enclave who is busying himself with a smile.

Finishing touch for Deepavali –
A Henna artist gingerly applying
the Indian art of tattooing onto
the hand of a young girl.

Restaurants and eateries that serve Indian meals and snacks on the moist banana leaves have seen a surge in business. Deepavali - the Hindu festival of lights - is around the corner and an endless flow of visitors throng the precinct to do shopping for the great day that falls on 24 October this year.

Jewellers, textile traders, trinket sellers and dress retailers offering the latest in Indian fashion are teeming with merry shoppers while music outlets boom out pounding Bollywood movie songs around the area.

It is the time of the year when the community again rejoices together in Hindu culture's most prominent festival. Deepavali is believed to be a deeply symbolic reminder of the conquest of good over evil, light over darkness, and commemorates the great epic mythological incident of the divine figure Krishna slaying the evil demon Narakasura. Some also believe that Deepavali commemorates the revered figure Rama's return to his kingdom after annihilating the feared demon emperor, Ravana.

But in true Malaysian style, the festival is celebrated not just by the Hindu community but also by all the people of the country. Well, the day will be a public holiday after all.

Savoury Indian goodies – a must-have for every household during Deepavali.

In Penang, a mammoth celebration will be held at Little India and at the nearby sea-facing Esplanade where the national level Deepavali open house will be held from noon to 6pm on Oct 25.

The King of Malaysia will himself grace the event with his Queen during the event. Popular Tamil movie stars are slated to travel to the island popularly called 'The Pearl of the Orient' to entertain the crowd during the festivities.

Indeed Deepavali will give Penang, the proud 'pearl' of the East a beautiful reason to shine a brighter lustre not just with its celebrations, but also with the spirit of togetherness that inevitably comes along with most festivals in the country.

All that glitters will sell – the festive season brings brisk business for merchants who trade in gold .

Folks from various cultures and visitors from diverse countries converge on the marvellous breeze-swept Esplanade to eat the rainbow spread of delicacies, watch the dances, hear the music and songs, and just mingle with their Hindu brethren in a celebration that ultimately welcomes all to partake in the yearly joy.

Like the light that envelops the darkness, Deepavali in Penang ushers a wave of beauteous harmony that is a hallmark of the glittering Pearl of the East.

A stuffed lion toy majestically surveying the hustle and bustle along the streets of Little India. Like the many novelty items on display, it adds colour and a touch of qurkiness to whole scene.

 
Written by Himanshu Bhatt

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Tajol Rosli Ghazali said the open house would be organised by the Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry and state Consumer Affairs and Unity Committee. “At state level, a committee chaired by state secretary Datuk Abdul Hanan Alang Endut has been set up to organise various activities for the open house,” he said after the weekly Exco meeting.

Source: The Star, Oct 21 2004