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Gujerati Association brings Deepavali cheer to needy families

November 9th, 2007
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organisation brings Deepavali cheer to needy families

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By WANI MUTHIAH

JUST like every other festival celebrated in the country, Deepavali is a time of caring and sharing for all Malaysians. With this aim in mind, non-governmental organisation Community Development and Integration Initiative (CDII) organised a charity event for three Tamil schools at SRK (T) Simpang Lima in Klang recently. 

Here you go: Bhupat Rai has a few words with a pupil as businessman Ramesh Kodammal hands over a bag of rice.

The main sponsor for the event was the Gujarati Association of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor (GAKLS), which donated 100 packages of monthly groceries and edibles to needy students from the three schools. The other two recipient schools were SRK (T) Simpang Empat and SRK (T) Bukit Raja. Recipients were also treated to a scrumptious brunch sponsored by Kapar division MCA youth chief Datuk Song Kee Chai. 

Helping hands: Kolej Damansara Utama students helping to pack the goodies before distribution.

The other main donor was TPL Frozen Meats Sdn Bhd proprietor L. Arumugam. Sri Andalas assemblyman Kamala Ganapathy as well as several other individuals also made small contributions, which will be used to purchase stationery for the students at the beginning of the new school term. 

According to SRK (T) Simpang Lima senior assistant Susila Devi Thangavelu, most of the poor students were not able to purchase necessary stationery like pens, pencils, colour pencils, poster colours and paintbrushes. "Buying them these items at the start of the new term would be a blessing indeed," she said. Also present to help out at the event were 20 students from Kolej Damansara Utama's engineering faculty. 

Digging in: Some of the recipients enjoying the brunch after receiving their gifts.

Student Layton Mothy, 21, from Botswana, said it was the first time he had participated in such an event and that it was a wonderful experience for him. Fellow student Bong Kok Yew, 18, understood the importance of the distribution as his family had received similar help when he was in primary school. Before presenting the donations, GAKLS president Datuk Bhupat Rai Premji said the association always regarded helping the needy as one of its priorities. 

"It is during times like these that we have to share with those who are less fortunate than us," he said. The association is well known for its philanthropic activities and distributes monthly groceries to hundreds of needy families during Deepavali every year. 

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All under one roof

November 7th, 2007
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All under one roof

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By WANI MUTHIAH

TO have more than one generation staying together under one roof is surely very uncommon in our age of nuclear families, especially in the urban areas.  

So, motor workshop owner S. Alagarasamy and his wife K. Rani are certainly a blessed couple as all their four children, including the married ones and their children, are staying with them. 

“Many ageing couples suffer from the empty nest syndrome but fortunately, my husband and I have been spared of this,” Rani said. 

Their only son Rajeswaran, 34, and eldest daughter Sri Punitha, 28, are married and have three children each. 

“Because everyone is still with us, Deepavali is always extra special as my husband and I enjoy the hustle and bustle of the preparations,” Rani told StarMetro at the family’s modest single-storey home at Taman Gembira in Klang. 

Alagarasamy concurred and said that celebrating the festival with all six of their grandchildren, aged between 11 and 4, was truly a blessing. 

Besides Rajeswaran and Sri Punitha, the elderly couple’s other children are Amutha, 26, and Hemalatha, 18. 

Rani’s younger sister K. Vasantha, 46, who is single, also lives with the family. 

Daughter-in-law M. Kalaiselvi, 26, and son-in-law K.Mahendran, 36, also make-up the 14-member extended family. 

According to Rani, on the morning of Deepavali, all the family members will wake up at 5am for the ritual oil bath and then head for the nearest temple for prayers. 

“We will then come home to have breakfast together and enjoy the pleasure that comes with having our children and grandchildren close to us,” she said. 

Since, both her married daughter and daughter-in-law were housewives, cakes and cookies for the festival were also prepared in abundance. 

“My sister Vasantha, who also stays at home, makes sure that we have an ample spread to treat friends and relatives who come to visit on Deepavali day,” Rani said. 

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Malacca Chetties all set for Deepavali

November 7th, 2007
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Malacca Chetties all set for Deepavali

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MALACCA: The Malacca Chetties are all set for Deepavali tomorrow as the community in Gajah Berang is putting in last-minute preparations to celebrate the Festival of Lights. 

It is only in Kampung Chetty, Gajah Berang, where about 300 Malacca Chetties live in 70 households.  

S. Kanagalingam Pillay, 40, a Chetty born and bred here, said that members of the community are very close to each other, regardless of age and would use this time to renew their kinship with one another.  

“After praying in the nearby temple, the temple management would then visit each chetty home with a float in the shape of a kuttu vellaku (lamp) followed by other chetties hitting the gendang and wearing traditional clothes,” he said.  

Kanagalingam said that on Deepavali, the whole village would be celebrating like it was a carnival and everyone can feel the ambience of the festivities.  

Chetty folk historically are known as a community of traders during the Malacca Sultanate era when the state had one of the busiest ports in the world.  

Although many of them still own the land of their ancestors but most have taken up clerical jobs and government positions instead.  

Kanagalingam said their style of dress remains their primary distinction, especially among the older generation who prefer the local Malaysian apparel to the more traditional Hindu saree for women and vesthi for men.  

“Our customary events like weddings are just the same as in ancient times except that our older women often attend in baju kurung, instead of the saree and sometimes with the Sanbol linpang (Malaysian headdress). The older men often wear the jubar (Malaysian sarong),” Kanagalingam said. 

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Samy retracts MIC Deepavali open house ban

November 6th, 2007
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i was first alerted via SMS by Mahendran on Monday evening that MIC is not going to have Deepavali open house this year. Later caught the news on TV3 that said the statement was retracted.

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Samy retracts ‘no big Deepavali do’ advice
Llew-Ann Phang
PETALING JAYA (Nov 5, 2007): Hours after MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu issued a statement on Monday afternoon, advising all MIC wakil rakyat (elected representatives) not to hold big Deepavali celebrations as a sign of the party’s respect for Hindus mourning the demolition of the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Padang Jawa, Shah Alam, the request was retracted.

It is learnt that Samy Vellu retracted the advice at 6.30pm, in view of the overwhelming requests from MIC members and Hindus to continue with the tradition on Deepavali, which falls on Thursday.The first statement said Samy Vellu’s advice was aimed at all MIC MPs and state assemblymen, deputy ministers and parliamentary secretaries.

“He said the MIC was saddened by the temple’s domolition and the act had hurt all Hindus in the country.

“However, he said MIC wakil rakyat were encouraged to celebrate Deepavali on a moderate scale with their family and relatives at home.”

Last Tuesday, 14 residents were arrested in the protest that ensued when the the 100-year-old temple in Kampung Karuppiah, a surau and some 200 houses in Kampung Rimba Jaya were demolished with the participation of the Shah Alam City Hall, some 300 police personnel, including the Federal Reserve Unit.

Samy Vellu turned up at the scene but he could not do anything to stop the demolition of the temple, and later, four lawyers who tried to help the residents who were held in the Section 11 police station were also detained. The lawyers were arrested for creating a scuffle after they were refused entry. Later that day, six were released on bail – two residents and the lawyers. The remaining 12 who were said to be injured during the fracas, were also released on bail last Friday.

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Petronas Deepavali message based on true story

November 5th, 2007
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KUALA LUMPUR: Visually-impaired M. Thavasothy is determined to inspire Malaysians through the latest Petronas Deepavali television commercial. 

Thavasothy, a 55-year-old History teacher, believes that failure is never an obstacle in life but a stepping-stone to success. 

»There is always a light within us to overcome challenges« M. THAVASOTHY

Themed The wisdom, strength, and courage to succeed is within you, the commercial is based on Thavasothy's life as someone who has always determined to live a normal and respectable life without any special treatment.  

In the 120-second commercial, Thavasothy plays himself taking on daily challenges with courage to build a comfortable life for his family. 

"There is always a light within us to overcome challenges and I hope people, by watching the commercial will be inspired and have the determination to succeed in everything they do," said Thavasothy, who was born blind and is a father of two. 

Advertising agency Leo Burnett senior copywriter Jovian Lee said Thavasothy was an inspirational person. 

"He wrote most of the script, leaving the creative team with not much to do," Lee added. 

Real life: Thavasothy playing himself in one segment of the Petronas Deepavali television commercial.

The commercial aired from yesterday. 

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