16/10/2011 (Jusco Kinta city)
Lagi Holiday...!!! Lagi Best...!!!
!!! hahaha
Diwali (also spelled Devali in certain regions) or Deepawali, popularly known as the "festival of lights", is an important festival in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism, celebrated for different reasons, occurring between mid-October and mid-November. For Hindus, Diwali is one of the most important festivals of the year and is celebrated in families by performing traditional activities together in their homes. For Jains, Diwali marks the attainment of moksha or nirvana by Mahavira in 527 BC. For Sikhs, Diwali is celebrated as Bandhi Chhor Diwas (The Celebration of Freedom), and celebrates the release from prison of the sixth guru, Guru Hargobind, who also rescued 52 Hindu kings held captive by Mughal Emperor with him in the Gwalior Fort in 1619.
Deepavali is an official holiday in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore, and Fiji.
The name "Diwali" is a contraction of "Deepavali" (Sanskrit: दीपावली Dīpāvalī), which translates into "row of lamps".
Diwali involves the lighting of small clay lamps (diyas or dīpas) in Sanskrit: दीप) filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil. During Diwali, all the celebrants wear new clothes and share sweets and snacks with family members and friends.
Diwali commemorates the return of Lord Rama, along with Sita and Lakshmana, from his 14-year-long exile and vanquishing the demon-king Ravana. In joyous celebration of the return of their king, the people of Ayodhya, the Capital of Rama, illuminated the kingdom with earthen diyas and by bursting firecrackers.
The festival starts with Dhanteras on which most Indian business communities begin their financial year. The second day of the festival, Naraka Chaturdasi, marks the vanquishing of the demon Naraka by Lord Krishna and his wife Satyabhama. Amavasya, the third day of Deepawali, marks the worship of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth in her most benevolent mood, fulfilling the wishes of her devotees. Amavasya also tells the story of Lord Vishnu, who in his dwarf incarnation vanquished the Bali, and banished him to Patala. It is on the fourth day of Deepawali, Kartika Shudda Padyami, that Bali went to patala and took the reins of his new kingdom in there. The fifth day is referred to as Yama Dvitiya (also called Bhai Dooj), and on this day sisters invite their brothers to their homes
Google doodle介紹：印度屠妖節(Diwali) doodle
屠妖節
對印度教徒來說，其中最為重要的莫過於印度新年「屠妖節（Deepavali）」。這個節日融合著印度數千年的宗教、神話與藝術，盛大熱烈的慶祝屠妖節似乎是印度教徒與生俱來的使命。
印度新年是在印度曆中一年最黑暗的一天所舉辦，通常會落在每年的10月底至11月底之間（印度曆的第7個月），今年落在10月27日，俗稱「屠妖節（Deepavali）」或「排燈節（Diwali）」。慶祝這個節日的由來很多，其中最普遍的傳說為慶祝魔王那拉卡蘇拉(Narakasuran)被神主克利斯懲殺。
當時天神與大地女神生下的唯一兒子那拉卡蘇拉被賦予神的力量與武器，但祂卻濫用權勢興建城堡，以殘忍的手段欺壓人民，並由於祂個人畏懼光明、留戀黑暗，甚至禁止民眾晚上點燈。結果另一位天神向神主克利斯納(Krishna)申訴，在一場激烈的戰鬥中，魔王納拉可蘇拉被女神莎雅巴瑪(Satyabama)所殺，聞訊的人民接鼓舞歡呼，大肆慶祝，並燃起油燈將整個城市點亮，慶祝這一個光明重生的時刻。故被稱為「屠妖節」。
另個被紀錄在史詩(Ramayana)中的傳說是為了慶祝喇嘛(Rama)在顛沛流放14年之後回到他的王國，全國上下點起油燈，象徵著人民在雨季冬季交替之際，有著豐收的收割，正式等待富裕財機來臨之時。因此，屠妖節同時也是人民慶祝祈禱，祈求天神賜福興旺的節日。這亦是「排燈節（Diwali）」的由來。
在這個印度教徒視為最盛大的節日，印度教徒會用各式各樣的燈火裝飾屋子,象徵著光明戰勝黑暗,邪不勝正及智慧。大部分的印度教徒家庭會以油沐浴祈禱，代表著潔淨去年的晦氣，迎接嶄新一年的好運頭。按照習俗，他們會換上新衣、點著油燈同家人共享早餐，並把家中裝飾得鮮艷亮麗，表示光明戰勝黑暗。(資料源自網絡)
oTHERs INFO :
屠妖節（印地语：दिवाली、Diwali、梵文：दीपावली、Dīpāvali、马拉地語：दिवाळी、泰米尔文：தீபாவளி、泰卢固语：దీపావళి、烏爾都文：دیوالی），又稱排灯节、萬燈節、或印度燈節，是印度教、錫克教和耆那教「以光明驅走黑暗，以善良戰勝邪惡」的節日，於每年10月或11月中舉行[1]，一些佛教S也慶祝這個節日。由於其影響力蓋過其它節日，故往往會被新馬一帶的華人社會誤解成印度人的新年節慶