What Diwali/Deepavali Means in Singapore
Diwali, known in Singapore as Deepavali, is the Hindu festival of lights and one of the country's most widely observed public holidays. For Singapore's Hindu community—particularly its Tamil population—it marks the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. Because Singapore is a multiracial, multi-religious society, the holiday is also celebrated well beyond the Hindu community, with public decorations, markets, and open houses that give it a national character.
The name "Deepavali" comes from the Sanskrit and Tamil roots meaning "a row of lights," a reference to the rows of oil lamps traditionally lit in homes and temples. In Singapore, both "Deepavali" and "Diwali" are used, though "Deepavali" is the more common official term.
Origins and the Singapore Context
Deepavali is an ancient festival with roots in the Indian subcontinent, and it is observed in different ways across regions of India and the wider Hindu diaspora. In Singapore, the festival arrived with Indian immigrants, many of them Tamil-speaking laborers, traders, and merchants who settled in the colony from the nineteenth century onward. Over generations, Deepavali became woven into Singapore's national calendar, and it is today recognized as a public holiday.
The holiday's timing follows the Hindu lunar calendar, so its date shifts from year to year, generally falling in October or November. In Singapore, the public holiday is observed on the main day of the festival.
Customs and Traditions
Deepavali in Singapore is marked by a blend of religious observance and family tradition. Common practices include:
- Lighting lamps and candles. Oil lamps and lights are placed around homes, a practice that gives the festival its name and its symbolism of dispelling darkness.
- Cleaning and decorating the home. Families tidy and refresh their homes ahead of the festival, a widespread custom associated with welcoming prosperity and auspiciousness.
- Wearing new clothes. New garments, often in bright colors, are worn on the day.
- Visiting temples. Hindus visit temples for prayers and blessings, and temples across Singapore hold special observances.
- Family gatherings and visiting. The day is centered on family, with relatives and friends exchanging visits and gifts.
- Giving and sharing sweets. Exchanging sweets and snacks is a common way of marking the occasion.
These customs are broadly shared, though individual families may observe them in their own ways depending on their regional and family traditions.
Food and Drink
Food is central to Deepavali celebrations in Singapore. Sweets and snacks—often collectively referred to as sweets or mithai—are prepared and shared, and many families make or buy traditional treats for the occasion. Savory snacks are also common. In Singapore's Little India, shops and stalls sell a wide range of festival foods and sweets in the weeks leading up to the holiday. As with other aspects of the festival, the specific dishes vary by family and regional background.
Religious and Civic Observances
Deepavali in Singapore has both a religious and a civic dimension. For Hindus, the day includes temple worship and prayers at home. At the same time, because it is a public holiday, the occasion is recognized nationally, and it is common for Singaporeans of all backgrounds to join in the festivities or to be invited to the open houses of Hindu friends and colleagues.
The Hindu Endowments Board, a statutory body that manages several major Hindu temples in Singapore, is among the organizations involved in the community's religious life, and temples hold special Deepavali observances. Civic and community organizations also take part in the broader celebrations.
Public Festivities and Little India
The most visible public celebrations take place in and around Little India, the historic Indian precinct centered on Serangoon Road. In the weeks before Deepavali, the area is transformed with elaborate light displays, decorations, and street markets. The Deepavali light-up along Serangoon Road is a long-standing feature of the Singapore calendar and draws visitors from across the island.
Festive bazaars and stalls line the streets of Little India, selling decorations, clothing, lamps, sweets, and gifts. The atmosphere in the evenings, when the lights are switched on, is one of the most photographed scenes in Singapore. Beyond Little India, Deepavali decorations and events also appear in other parts of the island, reflecting the holiday's national reach.
Regional Variations Within Singapore
Because Deepavali is celebrated by a diverse community with roots in different parts of India and the wider diaspora, practices can differ from family to family and community to community. The most concentrated public celebrations are in Little India, but Hindu temples and Indian cultural associations in other neighborhoods also hold observances and events. Rather than a single uniform script, Deepavali in Singapore is best understood as a shared festival expressed through many local and family traditions.
Visiting and Participating
For visitors and non-Hindu Singaporeans, Deepavali offers an open invitation to experience the festival. Wandering Little India during the light-up season, sampling festival sweets, and accepting invitations to friends' homes are all common ways to take part. As with any religious occasion, respectful behavior and sensitivity to local customs are appreciated.