KUALA LUMPUR: After low-key celebrations for two years because of Covid-19 SOPs, the Tamil, Sikh and Malayalee communities in Malaysia are all set to usher in major festivals tomorrow and on Friday.
Chittirai Puttandu, the Tamil new year, and Vaisakhi, the Sikh new year, will be celebrated on April 14, and the Vishu festival will be observed by the Malayalee community on April 15.
Malaysia Hindu Sangam president RS Mohan Shan said the Tamil community is expected to celebrate their new year on a grand scale following the SOP relaxation as the country transitioned to the endemic phase on April 1.
He said they may attend prayer activities in temples without the need for physical distancing.
“The Subakiruthu new year begins at 10.24am on April 14,” he told Bernama. The birth of the Tamil month of Chittirai is marked annually on the first day of the Tamil solar calendar.
Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia president Dr Jasbir Singh said the community will celebrate Vaisakhi festival tomorrow by visiting gurdwaras where the celebration will take place until April 17.
Vaisakhi commemorates the birth or establishment of khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the 10th Sikh guru, in 1699.
President of the Malaysian Hindu Malayalee Cultural and Traditional Association Dr NR Nambiar said Vishnu, the first day of the zodiac new year, will be more meaningful since everyone will get a chance to celebrate, unlike last year or in 2020.
“Most of us celebrated virtually (in 2020 and 2021) but this year, we can hold family get-togethers,” he said.
Families prepare the vishukkani, which is a panorama of auspicious items, with flowers, tulasi (holy basil), konnapoo (cassia fistula flower), grains, rice and a mirror for the festival, he said. — Free Malaysia Today
