Deepavali, also known as the Festival of Lights, marks the triumph of good over evil and was celebrated on 8 November by Singaporean Hindus this year. It was also to celebrate the victory of light over darkness. Hindus commemorate this day with enthusiasm, combining traditional beliefs and practices with the spirit of reverence, togetherness and celebration. Singaporean Hindus normally mark daybreak with prayers. Parents will give their blessings to their children after the prayers. Husbands will also give their blessings to their wives in the hope of longevity. The festival commemorates the night Rama returned home after fourteen years in exile. On this historic night, there was no moonlight, hence the citizens of his hometown Ayodhya, lit up the streets with many oil lamps to welcome him home. The story of Rama and his wife Sita was recorded in Ramayana, one of the two epics of Hinduism written by Valmiki. Long ago, in the kingdom of Ayodhya, the King Dashratha had three wives, but no children. After performing an elaborate Yagna to please Gods, he was granted with four sons. The King decided to crown the eldest son Rama, as he was the rightful heir to the throne. But the King's second wife, Kaikeyi grew jealous and she wanted her son to be the king. She reminded King Dashratha of a promise he gave her long back and made him announce that her son would be the king. Rama was then exiled for a period of 14 years. Thus set out Rama with his wife Sita and one of his brothers Lakshmana on his 14 year long exile in the forests of India. One day, a Demoness saw Rama and tried to seduce him but he ignored her completely. She then tries to seduce Lakshmana, but enraged, he cuts off her nose. Thoroughly insulted, she goes back to her brother Ravana, the Demon king of Lanka and complains about what happened. Ravana seeks revenge by abducting Sita and captivating her in his palace. Determined and confident, Rama sets out to find his wife Sita. He is helped by a group of monkeys who put in their best efforts to get Sita back from Lanka. Ravana is spoken of as a powerful demon, who was blessed by many Gods. His only flaw was vanity. A battle ensued between the monkey army of Rama and the demon army of Ravana. In the end, Rama emerged victorious and was united with Sita. By this time, their exile had ended and they returned back to their kingdom. Rama was crowned the king and he proved himself to be a devoted ruler. The moral of this epic is good always triumphs over evil. No matter what happens, one must never accept anything wrong and never deter from his path of duties of life.

Some pictures taken in Little India (Serangoon Road 2005)

Serangoon Road during the day

Serangoon Road by night

Street decorations	Busy traffic
The crowd	The festival market
Blessing cards	Crackers

Devotees

Blessings

The Deepavali in 2008 will fall on 28 October.
Come and visit Little India if you are in Singapore.