Deepavali is more than just a public holiday. It’s a festival! Here’s how you can join in the celebration.
1. Get a Henna Painting
In Indian culture, henna is a temporary tattoo that lasts two to three weeks. The intricate designs of flowers and suns are often related to Indian culture and folklore. You can get henna done in Little India, where beauty parlours in every nook and cranny offer the service at low prices.
2. Snack on Indian Goodies
For Deepavali, families prepare special sweets and savouries at home. Halw Burfi and laddoo are the most commonly made sweets on this occasion. Or if you don’t have much of a sweet tooth, delicacies like tandoori chicken, prawn sambal and fish head curry are also popular. Join the feast at the restaurants and stores lining Little India and Serangoon Road!
3. Decorate!
Brighten your home with Rangoli, a form of folk art from India in which patterns are created on the floor with materials like coloured rice, dry flour, coloured sand and flower petals. These festive decorations serve to welcome Hindu deities to the home, bringing good luck. Ancient symbols are kept within the family and passed through multiple generations.
4. Admire the Lights
It is a must to visit Little India during Deepavali. This cultural precinct is bedazzled with a canopy of lights and bustling bazaars that heighten the festive aura. It is a sight to behold while taking in the sounds and tastes of Little India at night. The Deepavali Light Up stretches from Selegie Road to Serangoon Road and Race Course Road, spreading the Deepavali magic to all visitors.
5. Get Closer to Nature
Prefer somewhere more serene? Head on a botanical expedition to India without leaving Singapore, here at Gardens by the Bay! Come face to face with animals of the wild like tigers and elephants – made of plants of course – and admire the grandeur of India’s national bird, the peacock. This display is elegantly draped in colourful blooms such as pansies, marigolds and orchids.
By Eu Shuqi
Photo credits: LISHA, Gardens by the Bay, other sources as hotlinked
ADVERTISEMENTS