Deepavali 10.29.2010

Next Friday, November 5th, is Deepavali, a national holiday here in Malaysia. Deepavali is the Indian festival of lights. It lasts for five days and is celebrated in Hinduism, Sikhism, and Jainism. Kalom is a form of sand painting and is drawn using rice powder by female members of the family in front of their home. They take several hours to make and are very beautiful. Kolams are thought to bring prosperity to homes.

While Deepavali is popularly known as the "festival of lights", the most significant spiritual meaning is "the awareness of the inner light". Central to Hindu philosophy is the assertion that there is something beyond the physical body and mind which is pure, infinite, and eternal, called the Atman. Just as we celebrate the birth of our physical being, Diwali is the celebration of this inner light, in particular the knowing of which outshines all darkness (removes all obstacles and dispels all ignorance), awakening the individual to one's true nature, not as the body, but as the unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent reality. With the realization of the Atman comes universal compassion, love, and the awareness of the oneness of all things (higher knowledge). This brings Ananda (joy or peace).

Selamat Hari Deepavali (Happy Deepavali Day)!

Click here to link to Deepavali on Wikipedia

Eileen and I saw the Indian woman making this Kolam on Sunday when we went out for breakfast. She was not using any tools, just here hands and a bowl of colored rice powder.

A huge peacock surrounded by roses


Close up of the one below

I should have taken this pic from the other side!