Header image adapted from Times of India
A Rojak Deepavali
As a Tamil Singaporean (and enthusiast of Indian culture and traditions), Deepavali is the most important and colourful festival celebrated in my household. In fact, I spend not days, not weeks, but months preparing for it, from prepping outfits to decorating my house. Its also a moment when the intricacies of what it means to be Singaporean Indian truly come to life!
You may have learnt about Deepavali in school, and its true that Tamil communities here usually observe Deepavali as the day that Lord Krishna vanquished a demonic entity, Narakasuran. Hence, to celebrate the victory of light over darkness we illuminate our entire house with oil lamps! That said, the Singaporean Indian community is extremely diverse and there are many mythological legends and traditions that are observed by specific groups.