What you may not know about Deepavali

Photo credit to Senior Minister LHL's FB Page

Every year, millions around the world celebrate Deepavali – 'The Festival of Lights’, to mark the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. 🪔 ✨

With Deepavali just around the corner, we thought to share some things you may not know:

1) Most people tend to wrongly associate Deepavali with the Tamil New Year.

However, Tamil New Year, also known as Puthandu, usually falls in mid-April, whereas Deepavali falls on the 14th day of the dark fortnight, or the waning moon, in the month of Aippasi in the Tamil calendar. This is usually mid-October to mid-November in the Gregorian calendar.

Read for more information:

• https://www.harmonycircle.sg/resources/culture/deepavali/  

• https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=0a84fe1a-1222-4701-be17-1735a8a9af27   

• https://www.roots.gov.sg/ich-landing/ich/deepavali  

2) Deepavali celebrations can last for four to five days.

More commonly referred to by South Indians as Deepavali, the celebrations can last for four days, with the first day marking Lord Krishna’s triumphant slaying of the demon Narakasura.

North Indians refer to this festival as Diwali, and start their five-day celebrations a day later with the lighting of lamps to welcome the return of exiled king Lord Rama of Ayodhya.

Read for more information: https://sg.news.yahoo.com/deepavali-2015-might-not-know-075327350.html  

3) Though Deepavali is mainly a Hindu festival, it is also celebrated by Indians of other religions such as the Sikhs and the Jains.

For Sikhs, it marks the day that Guru Hargobind Ji, the Sixth Sikh Guru, was freed from imprisonment. In Jainism, it marks the spiritual awakening of Lord Mahavir

Read for more information:

• https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19361108-1.2.162  

• https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/article-detail?cmsuuid=0a84fe1a-1222-4701-be17-1735a8a9af27#:~:text=Deepavali%20is%20also%20significant%20for,in%20memory%20of%20Guru%20Hargobind

• https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/pages/article/diwali  

What are your plans for the upcoming Deepavali? Why not join in some community Deepavali events to deepen your appreciation of the festival? The Indian Heritage Centre and LiSHA have organised several programmes this month to invite everyone to share in the joy of the Festival of Lights, or you may visit Little India to soak in the festivities! 🪔 ✨

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