Life @ 1 degree: Celebrating Light

How cool is this guy?!

One of the upsides to living in the cultural melting pot which is Singapore is being able to experience a range of cultures on a daily basis. One can head into the bustling streets of Little India, grab an MRT up to Chinatown, catch a bus to the Arab Quarter then another bus to the shophouses of Boat Quay within an afternoon. Not to mention literally eating your way around the world – any cuisine you would like to try, is here.

However, being able to experience the festivals and cultural practices of other cultures was what really made the last week memorable.

Diwali / Deepavali / The Festival of Light (literal translation of Diwali: row of lights) is one of the major festivals within the Indian culture. The Indian population is the third largest in Singapore (behind Chinese and Malay), and as a result, is widely celebrated. One of my Indian colleagues is in charge of orchestrating the schoolwide festivities which start with a whole school assembly including performances from children and teachers, (if you hail from The Ridge, you know I love a good staff act!) and even parents get involved. Then, throughout the day there are stalls to purchase Indian delicacies and trinkets and the children rotate through a series of workshops including henna, making rangoli, looking at Indian artefacts and of course, bollywood dancing. Seriously, this day is huge and as a school community, $3000 was raised to go towards a charity in India. Well Done to my lovely colleague who organised such an incredible day with such a spectacular outcome (I won’t name and shame her publicly, but she knows who she is!).

Some of the work crew relaxing after our school Diwali celebrations

Anyway, this festival celebrates good overcoming evil from an Indian Legend where a princess was tricked into going off with an evil spirit. Of course, her prince rescues her and on their return back home, lights were lit to light the way back. Thus, a festival was born.

Rangoli at the Diwali Party - made of flower petals and coloured rice

Families celebrate by putting out lights to celebrate the triumph of good over evil, cleaning their homes, putting out rangoli to welcome the goddess of wealth into their home for the next year and receiving new clothes and sharing sweets and snacks with family members and friends. Firecrackers and sparklers are also lit to ward off the evil spirits.

One of the gods in the Indian Temple I stumbled across in Little India.

All of Singapore celebrated with a day off. I also celebrated by going into Little India for some amazing Indian food, getting Henna (in the same place Beyonce did) and watching the lights come on around the area which were amazing, seriously, the pictures do not do it justice. I was also fortunate enough to be invited to a fellow colleagues Diwali party and was treated to more amazing food, sensational company and witnessing the joy of children with sparklers.