Beyond The Lights: How We Celebrate Deepavali In Singapore | On The Red Dot

Behind Deepavali's dazzling lights are stories of faith, tradition and belonging. Martial arts teacher Giri hopes to bring traditional Indian martial arts to the festivities, sharing his cultural heritage with a wider audience. Meanwhile, migrant worker Aakash prepares to celebrate another Deepavali away from his family in India. Can he recreate the warmth of home with his friends in Singapore? In Little India, Siva recalls how celebrations have changed since his childhood as he helps organise this year's iconic light-up. Historian Soundaranayaki traces the festival's roots, exploring how Indian communities brought their traditions to Singapore and how Deepavali became a public holiday. From sacred rituals and family traditions to cultural performances, we discover how Deepavali has evolved over generations and the different ways Singaporeans celebrate it today. 00:00 What is Deepavali, the Festival of Lights? 02:44 How Deepavali became a public holiday in Singapore 06:50 The people behind Little India's Deepavali celebrations 07:31 Bringing Indian martial arts to Deepavali 10:19 Firewalking on Thimithi 12:14 The first Deepavali light-up and bazaar 15:11 One festival, many food traditions 16:13 Celebrating Deepavali far from home 18:54 Bringing Deepavali traditions to life 20:18 Akash's mother's surprise visit 21:52 Finding the feeling of home in Singapore WATCH MORE On The Red Dot: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkMf14VQEvTYbQaR9ddxnJmJRangPrY5f ========== About On The Red Dot: CNA's weekly programme documents the stories of ordinary Singaporeans and celebrates their resilience, identity and sense of belonging. =========== #CNAInsider #OnTheRedDot #Singapore #Festival #Deepavali #Indian #Culture #Celebration For more, SUBSCRIBE to CNA INSIDER! https://cna.asia/insideryoutubesub Follow CNA INSIDER on: Telegram: https://t.me/CNAInsiderSG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cnainsider/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com