PETALING JAYA: For Dhanika Nagarajan, Deepavali is more than just a time for prayer, family and food.
There is one more aspect – taking countless photographs to find the perfect one to post on social media.
The 22-year-old final-year English Studies student from Kuala Lumpur says the Festival of Lights remains rooted in its religious significance, symbolising the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance.
The celebration has evolved into a combination of religion, culture, family and identity for the younger generation, she added.
“Deepavali is a reminder to have faith, be grateful and reflect on the kind of person I am becoming,” she said.
Dhanika said her favourite part of Deepavali included enjoying traditional food prepared by her mother, making murukku together, dressing up and spending time with relatives.
While she laughed about wanting to be rid of the annual house-cleaning marathon, she acknowledged that such family activities were also what made Deepavali memorable.
She said families were turning to social media to coordinate gatherings and online shopping to purchase festive clothes, decorations and food, with youngsters sharing photographs, videos and festive outfit transitions.
Fellow university student Sushre Chandran, 22, from Puchong, viewed Deepavali as a combination of religious and cultural highlights, providing an opportunity for the young to reconnect with their heritage, spend time with loved ones and celebrate their identity as Hindus.
She said families should move away from the pressure of preparing excessive food, buying new clothes every year and spending beyond their means, as these overshadowed the meaning of the festival.
“The tradition of lighting oil lamps, preparing traditional food, wearing traditional attire, performing prayers and visiting relatives must continue,” she added.
English Studies student Resheka Ravi Kumar, 22, from Rawang, said the young were becoming more aware of the significance of religious rituals, and wanted to know more about each practice.
“Families should move away from excessive spending on clothes, decorations and food, as well as comparisons over who prepares the biggest feast or wears the most expensive outfits,” she said, adding that the lighting of oil lamps and creating kolam (traditional floor art form) were traditions that should be preserved.
