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Text
& Photo by : Sok Phananida.
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Text & Photos By :
SOK PHANANIDA
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Last
month, I was among five lucky Cambodians selected
to visit Malaysia as guest participants of
the Mega Familiarisation Tour Program, run
in conjunction with Malaysia Open House 2002
and sponsored by Malaysian Airlines and Tourism
Malaysia.
We toured the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur,
went to Seremban to attend a Deepavali ceremony
and visited the beautiful resort of Langkawi.
Being guests, our travel arrangements, accommodation
and meals were all taken care of by our hosts,
and we all agreed that the hospitality extended
to us was outstanding. We were thoroughly
pampered from day one, and left thinking Malaysia
is a truly amazing country.
The entire trip was a fantastic experience,
since Malaysia is a fascinating country with
a great deal to offer the visitor. I personally
was most impressed by the multi-cultural harmony
that we witnessed there: I congratulate Malaysia
for achieving it so well. Our guides informed
us of the many different festivities, both
religious and social, that are celebrated
in Malaysia and explained that people usually
invite friends of other races or religions
to celebrate with them. Such harmony is truly
an inspiration.
Attending the Deepavali Open House in Malaysia
gave me a fresh understanding of the concept
of a festival. For the past two years, I have
had the good fortune to be invited by an Indian
friend in Phnom Penh to celebrate the festival
of lights - known to Hindus as Deepavali -
at her family home. But I had never understood
the idea of a festival better, or seen such
demonstrations of glamour and joy as I witnessed
during my trip to Malaysia. |
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In nations
around the world, festivals are occasions for rejoicing
and celebration. But in multi-cultural Malaysia,
festivities, especially religious ones, are celebrated
on a grand scale. Influenced by religion, mythology
and culture, Hindu families in Malaysia celebrate
Deepavali in high style. They burn lots of little
oil lamps in their gardens and invite their non-Hindu
friends to their homes. Together they celebrate
the festival with feasting and laughter. Although
Cambodian culture has many Hindu influences, Khmer
people do not celebrate the festival. So I thought
I might explain a bit more about Deepavali.
Known to some as Diwali, the words literally mean
'an array of lamps'. It is celebrated on the darkest
night of the 'Karthik' month of the Hindu calendar,
which falls around late October or early November.
Some say it's a celebration of the triumph of light
over darkness, or good over evil, which occurred
when Lord Krishna killed the evil demon 'Narakasura'.
Another legend has it that the festival commemorates
the return of Rama to his kingdom Ayodha after a
14 year exile, as described in the Ramayana epic.
The people's joy at the return of their beloved
prince was expressed by the lighting of lamps all
over the kingdom.
The festival also marks the end of the Indian monsoon
season and the beginning of winter. With harvest
done and the previous year's debts cleared, it is
the perfect time for people to welcome fortune and
prosperity into their homes. Thus Deepavali is a
joyous celebration, designed to invoke the blessings
of the Goddess of Prosperity.
In Malaysia, Deepavali is celebrated with much ceremony,
and is greatly enhanced by a multi-racial society
that revels in any opportunity to celebrate. Hindu
families open their doors to friends of other races,
inviting them to savour the myriad curries and sweetmeats
synonymous with Indian cuisine.
On our visit, we were treated to an open house hosted
by the Malaysian Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism,
and enjoyed the most delectable spread of Indian
delicacies. The occasion was officiated by their
royal Majesties the King and the Queen of Malaysia,
and graced by the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister
of Culture, Arts and Tourism and the Chief Minister
of the Negeri Sembilan.
My entire visit to Malaysia remains the most colourful
and joyous festivity I've ever attended. The entire
trip was in itself a celebration: Thank you Malaysia. |
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The Malaysia Mega Familiarisation
Tour Variety Show staged to welcome participating
guests from around the world.
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Deepavali Open House
Variety Concert held in Seremban
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Deepavali procession of light--two Hindu
ladies leading a procession
participated also by ladies of other race
and religion. This depicts the
harmonious multi-cultural society that Malaysia
is proud of.
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The five participants
from Cambodia posing for a photograph with
tour guide Fuad Yaacob (blue shirt)
at the Langkawi Cable Car Station.
Back row left to right:
Sok Phananida (Leisure Cambodia),
Nhem Sophal (Raksmey Kampuchea),
Soy Sophea (Business News),
Ok Sophan (Sin Chew Daily)
Front row left to right:
Fuad Yaacob (Guide),
Vandy Ho (World Express Tour)
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Suite
B8, Regency Square, InterContinental Hotel, 294 Mao
Tse Toung Boulevard,
Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia.
Tel: (855) 23 213 133 Fax: (855) 23 213
033
E-mail:
editor@leisurecambodia.com |
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