PD Photo: A terracotta sculpture of the Hindu God Hanuman in India; the reddish color is due to iron oxide in the source clay of the ceramic, and clays with low iron content can result in paler colors on firing and processing terra cotta, ranging from white to yellow.
PD Photos: Deepavali at Little India, Singapore, photos taken in Oct 2006 by Sengkang.
Generally, one month before Deepavali (or Diwali), The Festival of Lights, the Little India Heritage District are decorated and illuminated with lights, colorfully and creatively, as you see in the sample photos above. Streets are festooned with ornamental lights, often depicting Indian motifs, such as elephants, peacocks and oil lamps.
Deepavali Bazaars are held in different parts of the district, mainly at Little India Arcade, and opposite the Mustafa Centre. These busy markets have stalls selling Deepavali Greeting Cards, traditional foods and drinks, India-themed decoration items for homes, traditional Indian costumes and modern clothing, Indian music and video discs, sparklers and toys, oil lamps, incense, idols of Hindu deities, etc. Both Hindus and non-Hindus residents and tourists visit the area for shopping and enjoying the festive atmosphere.
Little India neighborhood in Singapore is well-known for its Tamil cultural elements. Little India is located to east of the Singapore River - across from Chinatown, located west of the river - and north of Kampong Glam.
Little India has several Hindu temples, the Central Sikh Gurdwara, Mosques, the Buddhist Sakyamuni Buddha Gaya Temple, Foochow Methodist Church, Kampong Kapor Methodist Church, Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, Angullia Mosque, Sri Vadapathira Kaliamman Temple, Jalan Mosque, and the Leong San See Temple dedicated to Guanyin, the Chinese Boddhisattva of Mercy.
Some of the major Hindu festivals celebrated every year in Little India include Deepavali, Thaipusam, Pongal/ Tamil New Year, the Fire Walking festival, Holi and various Hindu Chariot processions.
PD Photo: A 1906 Burmese portrayal of Ganesha (Maha Peinne) on his mount (Vahana), the rat - The Thirty Seven Nats, from Southeast Asia Digital Library.
Lord Ganesha (Ganesa or Ganesh), popularly and mainly known also as Ganapati, Vinayaka or Pillaiyar, is one of the most widely worshipped Gods in Hinduism. Ganesha worship also extends to Jainism, Buddhism, some other religions and sects, and beyond India, including Burma (Myanmar), Southeast Asia and Malay Archipelago. Gifts of silver and gold coins with images of Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi during Diwali (Festival of Lights) celebrations are very popular in North India.
PD Photo: The 26 meter (85 feet) tall Hanuman Murti (statue) and Hindu Temple in Central Trinidad. This statue is the tallest Hanuman Murti outside India.
PD Photo: Divali Nagar (City of Lights) located in the town of Chaguanas: an annual exposition of the Hindu and Indo-Trinidadian culture, associated with the celebration of Diwali in Trinidad and Tobago.
PD Image: Lord Krishna battles against the armies of the Demon Narakasura, painting (1520-30) on Bhagavata Purana (Stories of Lord Vishnu) from Delhi-Agra area of India; the painting currently located in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park, New York City, USA.
PD Photos: symbolic Diyas or Kandeel (colorful paper lanterns) as an integral part of Diwali (Festival of Lights) decorations. Diwali is a five-day festival in Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism, celebrated in India, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Mauritius, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Fiji, Surinam, and some other countries.
Mauritius is the only country in Africa where Hinduism is the dominant religion, with about 52 per cent of the population following Hinduism. Hinduism came to Mauritius with the Indians who came to work for the European settlers of the island, and most of the initial Hindu settlers arrived from the regions of the present day Indian states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
One of the biggest Hindu festivals in Mauritius is Maha Shivaratri (Great Night of Lord Shiva), which is celebrated in the month of February/March. Up to nine days of celebrations, prayers and fasting lead up to an all-night worship of Lord Shiva.
