diwali in malaysia pictures + faq + articleon celebs

[Guest guest]

Namaskar Mitra,

 

An Indian email pal born in Malaysia (she has asked not to reveal her name) sent

me 4 pictures, answers to 4 questions & an article by Derrick Vinesh (it has no

links but my friend is reliable). She has promised to send me pictures of this

celebrations & more articles after Diwali.

 

to see pictures http://www.esamskriti.com/html/new_photo.asp?subcatid=59

 

Q1. Is it a public holiday across the country? A1. It is a national holiday.

Meaning the whole country observes Deepavali as a public holiday. All

newspapers do not have publications on that day as well. The newspapers in

Malaysia do not publish (press shut down) 4 days every year i.e Ramadhan

Festival, Chinese New Year, Deepavali and Christmas.

 

Q2. Do they have public celebrations meaning govt or private organised.

A2. Yes, all states organise their own Deepavali celebrations either in the

stadium or an open field, where they eat and enjoy a variety show and fireworks

display. This is paid for by the government. Private companies generally

organise celebrations and invite inmates from orphanages and old folks home.

 

Q3. Does the PM or lower dignitaries attend these functions.

A3. The guest of honour at the Federal level is the King, PM and ministers,

whilst at the state level its the Sultans, the chief ministers and state

ministers. Hindu ministers have open houses which is attended by the public as

well as the PM and other ministers. Political parties, regardless of the ethnic

group they represent, organise Deepavali open houses for the public as well.

 

Q4. Do malaysian muslims & hindus take part.

A4. Muslims, Chinese, Eurasians.....everyone attends.

Deepavali open house to be grand affair, Byline: DERRICK VINESH

PENANG: More than 100,000 people are expected to attend the national-level

Deepavali Open House at the Esplanade and a section of Little India here on Oct

25. Among the VIP guests are the King and Queen as well as the Prime Minister.

Malaysian Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MICCI) Penang branch

secretary Ganeson Ramasamy said a section of Market Street and Penang Street

would be spruced up to give the royal couple and visitors "a grand Indian

welcome."

"This is the first time the King will be visiting Little India, which has a high

concentration of Indian and Indian-Muslim traders and we are very honoured to

have him here on this special occasion," he said in an interview yesterday.

Since the RM7.6mil Little India redevelopment project would not be completed in

time for the event, he said, the main celebrations would be held at the

Esplanade, with only a section of Market Street and Penang Street in Little

India to be involved.

He said the King and Queen and their royal entourage would be greeted by the

Prime Minister, his deputy, Penang Chief Minister, Culture, Arts and Tourism

Minister, MIC president and MICCI Penang management committee members at the

Market Street-Beach Street junction at 10.30am.

Ganeson said the royal couple and VIPs would then walk through a stretch of

colourful kolam drawings under an archway of woven banana leaf fronds, known as

thoranam. "We are trying to set a Malaysian record by making the longest

thoranam spanning about 2km from Market Street through Penang Street, Light

Street and Jalan Tun Syed Sheh Barakbah to Jalan Padang Kota Lama" he said.

He added that the chamber would seek help from several Indian youth

organisations to put up the archway. After signing a plaque at the junction of

Market Street and Penang Street, he said, the royal couple would then board a

vintage car while the other VIPs would be taken by trishaws through Light

Street for the stage event at the Esplanade grounds.

Ganeson said several cultural groups performing the peacock dance, kolattam,

karagattam, bangra and silambam, accompanied by a nadaswaram (classical Indian

music) troupe and urimi melam (Indian drums) group, would lead the procession.

He said although the event would be held one day after Deepavali Day on Oct 24,

shopkeepers in the vicinity have been told to open their shops and decorate

their pillars with banana trees. "Shopkeepers and visitors to the Deepavali

Open House are encouraged to turn up in traditional Indian attires to add

colour and splendour to the occasion," he added.

end ---- cheers & om

sanjeev