Deepavali Celebration in Singapore - Then and Now

Serangoon Road at night in 1957

"Little India" is an ethnic neighbourhood found in Singapore that has Tamil cultural elements and aspects of other cultures. Little India lies to east of the Singapore River—across from Chinatown, located west of the river—and north of Kampong Glam. Both areas are part of the urban planning area of Rochor. Little India is more commonly known as Tekka in the local Tamil community.

Every ethnic community given a place, an area established somewhere in old Singapore, places of worship they choose for their preference without discrimination regardless of their traditional celebration in Singapore: Chinese New Year in Chinatown, Hari Raya Puasa in Geylang Serai, Deepavali in Little India and Christmas celebration in Orchard Road, Singapore.  For generations, Singaporeans have grown up to love the celebrations annually for everyone to participate and remember and store in the Singapore "memory banks".

Since the days of the foundings of Singapore by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819, Singapore was not a homogeneous country.  It has never been a one race, one religion, one language, one culture in Singapore.

Singapore today is a multi-racial, multi-religion, multi-language, multi-culture country and live in peace and stability, to work for a prosperous nation harmoniously as One People, One Nation, One Singapore.

This blog is dedicated to our Hindu Singaporean friends to revive fond nostalgic memories of Deepavali celebration in Singapore over the decades since the 1950s.

With acknowledgement and thanks to the National Archives of Singapore (NAS) to post these archived photos curated for this blog topic on how Deepavali was celebrated in Singapore over the decades.

Please contribute and share your Singapore photos and stories to Singapore Memory Portal .

What are the common denominators to share and identify in a community like Singapore?

 Same, same ... but different!

These are the positive elements to bring a community in different ethnic groups to work, live and play for fun and happiness for the benefit of everyone together; not to cause conflicts and break our harmonious  society.

What are the common topics which are similar for events to celebrate in Singapore, regardless of the Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Puasa, Deepavali or Christmas which are national public holidays?

 

Can you recognise the first black and white photo of 1957 shown above on the blog?

This same spot at "Little India" located beside Tekka Market .

This same spot at "Little India" for the traditional Deepavali Street Light-Up for many years here .

Shopping

Devotional duties for the celebration

Deepavali outings for the family

Deepavali on 29 Oct 1970 at the Istana Park

Deepavali Party for Everyone

Charity for the community

Deepavali Flag Day fund-raising for charity in 1960

Deepavali Beauty Queens

Deepavali hairstyle fashion in 1960s

Deepavali Queen contest at Seaview Hotel on 24 Oct 1959

Miss Deepavali Queen contest at National Theatre, Singapore on 23 Sep 1971

There are "Deepavali Queens" for Singaporeans, beauties of every ethnic groups in every generation and the future generations of Singaporeans.

Deepavali Delicacies