Confusion over Deepavali date – Oct 22 or Oct 23?
Sonia Ramachandran
PETALING JAYA: The festival of lights that also signifies the triumph of good over evil is an important celebration for Hindus all over the world. However, there seems to be a little confusion lately as to when Deepavali or Diwali actually falls.
In 2013, the confusion was between Nov 2 and Nov 3 and this year, it is between Oct 22 and Oct 23.
If you type in Deepavali in your Google search engine, Oct 23, 2014 will immediately pop up.
In Malaysia, however, Deepavali officially falls on Wednesday, Oct 22, though here too there was confusion.
His Majesty’s Government Gazette No 43367 of Dec 6, 2013 states that Thursday, Oct 23, 2014 which was published in the July 29, 2013 Gazette as the date for the public holiday for Deepavali should be replaced with Wednesday, Oct 22, 2014 for the celebration.
This is apparently according to the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple Devasthanam.
Malaysia Hindu Sangam president Datuk RS Mohan Shan told theantdaily that the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple Devasthanam had given this information to the government two years ago.
“Like how we explained to the people last year, Deepavali falls on Chaturdashi Tithi. The early morning bath taken by Hindus on Deepavali day is considered a bath in the holy water of Ganges and this should fall on Chaturdashi Tithi, not Amavasya Tithi, which is considered the day of the black or dark moon.
“The last two years has seen the Chaturdashi Tithi and Amavasya Tithi falling far apart when in the past, they used to fall on the same day with Chaturdashi Tithi falling in the morning followed by Amavasya Tithi in the afternoon. Only now is it falling on separate days. The assumption that Deepavali should fall on Amavasya Tithi is wrong because it shouldn’t be during the black moon,” said Mohan.
According to www.wordnik.com, the definition of “Tithi” is: “The lunar date based on the Hindu calendar.
Malaysia’s closest neighbour down south, Singapore, is also celebrating Deepavali on Oct 22.
Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower website states: “The Hindu Advisory Board (HAB) has confirmed that Deepavali will fall on 22 October 2014 (Wednesday) instead of 23 October 2014 (Thursday). Hence, 22 October 2014 (Wednesday) will be gazetted as a public holiday.”
According to a circular by India’s Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Diwali (Deepavali) falls on Thursday, Oct 23, 2014 but “In certain States, the practice is to celebrate the occasion a day in advance, i.e., on "Narakachaturdasi Day". In view of this, there is no objection if holiday on account of Deepavali is observed on "Naraka Chaturdasi Day (in place of Deepavali Day) for the Central Government Offices in a State if in that State, that day alone is declared as a compulsory holiday for Diwali for the offices of the State Government.”
If the country where the art of calculating the date itself originates from has its own people celebrating on both dates, then there should be nothing wrong if Deepavali is celebrated on either date.
In 2013, the confusion was between Nov 2 and Nov 3 and this year, it is between Oct 22 and Oct 23.
If you type in Deepavali in your Google search engine, Oct 23, 2014 will immediately pop up.
In Malaysia, however, Deepavali officially falls on Wednesday, Oct 22, though here too there was confusion.
His Majesty’s Government Gazette No 43367 of Dec 6, 2013 states that Thursday, Oct 23, 2014 which was published in the July 29, 2013 Gazette as the date for the public holiday for Deepavali should be replaced with Wednesday, Oct 22, 2014 for the celebration.
This is apparently according to the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple Devasthanam.
Malaysia Hindu Sangam president Datuk RS Mohan Shan told theantdaily that the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple Devasthanam had given this information to the government two years ago.
“Like how we explained to the people last year, Deepavali falls on Chaturdashi Tithi. The early morning bath taken by Hindus on Deepavali day is considered a bath in the holy water of Ganges and this should fall on Chaturdashi Tithi, not Amavasya Tithi, which is considered the day of the black or dark moon.
“The last two years has seen the Chaturdashi Tithi and Amavasya Tithi falling far apart when in the past, they used to fall on the same day with Chaturdashi Tithi falling in the morning followed by Amavasya Tithi in the afternoon. Only now is it falling on separate days. The assumption that Deepavali should fall on Amavasya Tithi is wrong because it shouldn’t be during the black moon,” said Mohan.
According to www.wordnik.com, the definition of “Tithi” is: “The lunar date based on the Hindu calendar.
There are 30 tithis in each lunar month. Tithis begin at varying times of a solar day and vary in duration from approximately 19 to 26 hours.”
Mohan said the government should obtain information on when Deepavali falls from correct sources such as the Malaysia Hindu Sangam.
“This is because we really calculate the dates properly before announcing anything. From last year we are the ones who are printing the Panchangam (Hindu calendar and astrological almanac) for the Hindu community in Malaysia.
“If the temple had done their calculations properly, they would not have provided the wrong date in the first place,” said Mohan.The change of dates reportedly caused confusion among state departments too with no one seeming to know why the change was instituted.
Norizan Kulob, the Johor state deputy secretary, was quoted as saying that the decision to change the public holiday for Deepavali was by notification from the Prime Minister’s Office through two letters, though he was unsure of the reason why the change was done.Mohan said the government should obtain information on when Deepavali falls from correct sources such as the Malaysia Hindu Sangam.
“This is because we really calculate the dates properly before announcing anything. From last year we are the ones who are printing the Panchangam (Hindu calendar and astrological almanac) for the Hindu community in Malaysia.
“If the temple had done their calculations properly, they would not have provided the wrong date in the first place,” said Mohan.The change of dates reportedly caused confusion among state departments too with no one seeming to know why the change was instituted.
Malaysia’s closest neighbour down south, Singapore, is also celebrating Deepavali on Oct 22.
Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower website states: “The Hindu Advisory Board (HAB) has confirmed that Deepavali will fall on 22 October 2014 (Wednesday) instead of 23 October 2014 (Thursday). Hence, 22 October 2014 (Wednesday) will be gazetted as a public holiday.”
According to BBC’s multifaith calendar and the website www.visitlondon.com, Deepavali is on Oct 23.
But one can’t be blamed for the confusion.
After all Indian websites are showing both Oct 22 and Oct 23 for the festival with different states celebrating on either one of the dates.
The government of Tamil Nadu’s website states Deepavali falls on Oct 22.But one can’t be blamed for the confusion.
After all Indian websites are showing both Oct 22 and Oct 23 for the festival with different states celebrating on either one of the dates.
According to a circular by India’s Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Diwali (Deepavali) falls on Thursday, Oct 23, 2014 but “In certain States, the practice is to celebrate the occasion a day in advance, i.e., on "Narakachaturdasi Day". In view of this, there is no objection if holiday on account of Deepavali is observed on "Naraka Chaturdasi Day (in place of Deepavali Day) for the Central Government Offices in a State if in that State, that day alone is declared as a compulsory holiday for Diwali for the offices of the State Government.”
If the country where the art of calculating the date itself originates from has its own people celebrating on both dates, then there should be nothing wrong if Deepavali is celebrated on either date.
Comments
Post a Comment