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One of the festivals that unite the
people irrespective of their religion and nationality is Diwali in
Singapore. Hindus celebrate the annual Festival of Lights - Diwali - with
elaborate light and candle decorations, creating a beautiful spectacle as
the night draws in. The festive atmosphere generates a feeling of joy and
happiness and is to be felt and shared in Singapore. As a policy, crackers
are not sold to avoid noise pollution and only sparklers can be bought.
To mark Deepavali- the Hindu festival of lights, "Little
India" on Serangoon Road is decorated with lights, garlands
and colorful arches. Today, Little India is the emotional and commercial
center of the local Indian community. On Diwali day, children accompanied by
parents will go to open area to light the sparklers since most of the people
live in high-rise apartments.
There are more than 18 temples in Singapore and it is customary to offer
prayers at the temples. The whole atmosphere provides a feeling of being at
home and enables newcomers to easily integrate with the rest of the society.
This reminds us of the Tamil proverb "Yaadhum Oore Yaavarum
Kelir" which means, 'every country is my own and all the
people are my kinsmen.'
