How a family from India celebrates Deepavali in Malaysia

The Pandey family celebrates Deepavali in Kuala Lumpur, melding tradition, Malaysian flavors, and a touch of nostalgia from their Indian roots. Photos: The Star/Raja Faisal Hishan

In Arti Pandey’s home, preparations for Deepavali are in full swing. Arti and her 17-year-old daughter Vageesha are busy adorning their home with vibrant Diwali decorations while engaging in the family’s annual spring cleaning in time for the festivities on Sunday.

Arti’s husband, Vinod Kumar Pandey, 45, lends a hand by hanging stringed mango leaves at the entrance of their home in Seri Sentosa, Kuala Lumpur.

“Hindus believe that adorning our homes with strings of mango leaves on Deepavali invites blessings and prosperity into our lives,” said Arti during an interview in KL recently.

The Pandeys are from North and Central, India. Their roots trace back to Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, India, with their ancestral home is a stone’s throw from Triveni Sangam, the sacred confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers. Hindu’s revere the Triveni Sangam as they believe bathing in it can absolve them of all sins.

Hindus believe that hanging these mango leaves at the entrance of their home will bring blessings and prosperity.

Deepavali is observed by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists and is incorporated into many different cultures globally.

During this celebration, which originates from India, celebrants light many diyas (oil lamps) around their homes to represent the victory of good over evil.

Deepavali is also known as the festival of lights.

Arti, a teacher at a private school in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, along with her family, has called KL home for the last 13 years.

“Malaysia is like a second home to us as we have spent so many years of our lives here. But we can’t really compare the celebration here with that in our hometown where we are with our parents, siblings, and relatives and the celebrations are about togetherness.

By adorning their homes with mango leaves, Hindus aim to create a welcoming and auspicious environment for the Festival of Lights.

“Certain traditional foods, like suran (elephant yam) and confections like batasha (crystalised sugar candies) and revari (sugar cake coated with sesame), are not readily available in Malaysia, and we miss those flavours. Although we can get (packed)spices from India, we can’t get fresh ones like how we buy them in our hometown,” says Vinod, a country lead for a packaging machinery company in Shah Alam, Selangor.

Arti adds: “We felt lonely when we first celebrated Deepavali here years ago. Back then, we were not acquainted with our surroundings, especially Indian shops and restaurants, as we were new to Kuala Lumpur. Over time, we made many friends, both locals and from India, and we felt at ease.”

Deep fried puri, made from unleavened wheat dough, is one of the staples at Arti's home during Deepavali.

Despite the differences in the way they celebrate the occasion, Deepavali traditions in Malaysia has seamlessly woven itself into the Pandey family’s cultural experience. They have even incorporated a few Malaysian dishes into their festivities.

“Our Malaysian friends are particularly fond of nasi lemak, and we order it to cater to our friends’ preferences during the festival.

“I had my first taste of muruku in Malaysia, which was a delightful surprise. In North India, muruku isn’t a traditional Deepavali snack; we usually prepare other delicacies. However, since trying it at a friend’s place here, muruku has become one of my favorite Deepavali treats. I often make it myself, but when I can’t, I happily buy it from places like Klang or Brickfields. This blending of Malaysian culture into our Deepavali celebrations has enriched our traditions.”

Rooted in tradition

Arti's family celebrates Deepavali for five days, each day holding a special significance.

The Pandeys celebrate Deepavali over five days, each day holding a special significance.It starts today with Danteras, an auspicious day when they buy precious metal (either gold or silver jewellery) or gemstones as a symbol of prosperity, says Vinod.

Naraka Chaturdasi is celebrated tomorrow, a day of great significance in Hindu mythology that commemorates the vanquishing of the demon Narakasura by Lord Krishna and Goddess Satyabhama. On this auspicious occasion, Arti meticulously adds the final touches to their home’s decorations in anticipation of the Festival of Lights. Meanwhile, Vageesha takes charge of making the rangoli kolam, a ornamental and ceremonial floor drawing often done with coloured flour, during traditional Indian festivities.

On Deepavali day, the Pandey family takes a ritual bath using a drop of water from the Ganges river.

“In North India, we don’t do oil baths. We usually bring a small bottle of water from the Ganges river. A few drops of this holy water – between one and three drops – are added to a bucket filled with water before bathing. This ritual is believed to purify the water and cleanse ourselves. Some people use turmeric instead of using water from the Ganges river to take baths,” Vinod says.

The cultural attire worn by the Pandeys during Deepavali is an integral component of their celebration.

They make it a point to buy and wear new outfits – they favour traditional garments like sarees, lehengas, and sherwani – as a sign of respect for the festival.

Festive treats

On Deepavali day, they open up their home to close friends.

Their festive vegetarian dishes include paneer makhni (a dish cooked with paneer, spices and ground cashew nuts), aloo gobi (a savoury item prepared with potatoes, cauliflower and spices), lauki chana dhal (a mild curry with gourd, gram dhal and tomatoes), and dahi bada (vadai soaked in yoghurt).

Arti’s celebratory vegetarian dishes include (clockwise from top right) jeera rice, lauki chana dhal, aloo gobi, dahi vada, paneer makhni, gulab jamun and malpua.

It’s a must to serve sweet indulgences like malpua (festive pancakes made with flour, jaggery, cardamoms and milk), gulab jamun (fried dough balls made from milk solids and semolina, and soaked in syrup) and kheer (milk and rice pudding).

“Traditionally for every prayer, we prepare 56 food items, encompassing desserts, snacks, and main dishes like poori, sabjis, curries, and rice. However, we cannot replicate this in Malaysia, so we adhere to auspicious numbers like five, 11 and 21,” Vinod shares.

In the evening, they visit the temple to pray to Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesh. Milk and atta (wholegrain wheat flour) are donated to the temple as part of the family’s contribution during the festival of lights, says Arti.

“We will pray in the evening to Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesha. We believe that for any new beginnings, we have to invoke Lord Ganesha first.

“So when the sun sets, we start preparation for the prayers. We use several types of grains, sweets and snacks for the puja (prayers). After prayers, we light up diyas in our home. We also believe that Goddess Lakshmi will also see the colours of our rangoli as a welcome into our home.”

On Deepavali day, the Pandeys open up their home to close friends, serving a mix of their traditional dishes and Malaysian food.The fourth day marks Govardhan Puja, celebrating Lord Krishna who protected the people by lifting the Govardhan mountain according to traditional lore.

The final day, known as Bhai Dooj, celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters.

The Pandey family’s celebration of Deepavali in Malaysia mirrors the cultural diversity and richness of the festival.

Their incorporation of local customs into their traditions from India exemplifies the harmonious coexistence of various cultures in this country.

Arti shared, “In the beginning, I used to return to India to celebrate not just Deepavali but also other festivals. But now, since I am familiar with places in Malaysia and have friends here, I don’t miss my hometown as much.

As Deepavali approaches, their home in Malaysia becomes a vibrant and joyous place, filled with the spirit of unity and celebration.