Indian page

Indian culture

Indian society is the third largest ethnic group in Malaysia and also one of the people who have contributed to the creation to the creation of pluralistic society in Malaysia. Like other communities, the Indian community is rich with features and maintains their cultural life styles until today. Indian culture has a lot of similarities with Malay culture. This is clearly shown in the term of birth and marriage.

Traditional clothes

Sari

Sari is a women traditional Indian dress that is easily recognizable throughout the world. A piece of cloth measuring 5 to 6 yards length of cloth wrapped round and tapering down the lower part of body, the extensively embroidered or printed end is draped over the left shoulder. The inner cloth of sari is worn on the shoulder and below the center to hold sari from not being held firmly. This is worn over a tightly-fitting bodice, often exposing a bare midriff. Sari is made of various types, patterns and color sari is truly beautiful and attractive.

Salwar kameez

Salwar kameez or Punjabi suit consisting of long blouses paired with loose trousers and a headscarf with suitable color.

Kurta

Kurta is a long-knee shirt that is typically made from cotton or linen cloth. It is usually worn by Indian men during official ceremony and wedding occasion. Indian often wore kurta with salwar or pants.

Dhoti

Dhoti is one of casual clothing for Indian men. It shaped is rectangular and seamless. Its length approaching 5 yards and can be wrapped around the waist of it users. Dhoti is often matched with Kurta , a kind of loose shirt. 

Food


Roti Canai

Roti canai is circular and flat. This is a very special layered pan cake made from flour and water. The fresh dough is needed and tossed in the air, twirl it until the dough becomes a very thin sheet then folded into layers or circular shape and cooked on a very hot iron plate. It can be eaten plain or dipped into curries. There are also different types of curries besides dhal such as chicken curry, beef curry, mutton curry, fish curry and mixed curry. This type of flatbread is usually sold in Mamak stall in Malaysia. Recently, various improvements on plain roti canai have been devised to suit Malaysians. Common variations include:

·        Roti tisu

·        Roti telur

·        Roti sardine

·        Roti bawang

·        Roti planta

·        Roti boom

Chapatti

It looked like roti canai. Chapati is a type of bread originated from Punjab. It is firm made dough from whole-wheat flour, water and salt by rolling the dough out into discs. The rolled dough is thrown on the preheated dry skillet and cooked on the both side.  Keep flipping the chapatti until it was cooked. Chapati is ready to serve when it has golden-brown spots on both sides. Chapatis are usually eaten with meat or vegetable curry dishes, dhal and sardine.  

Nasi Briyani

Nasi briyani is cooked with spice which is fried before cooked with its rice. Basmati rice is first mixed with ghee and cooked with the world’s most expensive spice, saffron. This is very traditional Indian rice cooked in ghee and spices. The dish is assembled by layering the flavorful rice with spiced-cooked lamb, mutton or chicken, with a garnishing of slivered almonds and raisins. This delicacy dish is served as a main course on special occasions such as weddings and festivals. Nasi briyani refers to the rice that only cooked without the meat, and is a choice of rice to eat with selection of curries and side dishes.

Festivals

Deepavali

Deepavali is known as festival of light though the most significant meaning is “the awareness of the inner light”. It is a five days festival which usually held between 13^th October and 14^th November. It is a public holiday in Malaysia during Deepavali celebration. During Deepavali, Hindus wake up early before dawn, have a fragrant oil bath and wear new clothes. They light small lamps all around the house and make kolam outside their house. It is believed that taking bath before sunrise, when the stars are still visible in the sky is equivalent to taking bath in the holy Ganges. The best way is to experience the Deepavali celebration with Indians friends. Many Indian cuisines such as tosai, and chapatti are served during this  festival. 

Thaipusam

A man piercing his body with spikes and hooks.

Thaipusam is the biggest Indian festival in the year in Malaysia. Although the festival is celebrated all over the country, the best places to enjoy this festival are at the Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur and around the waterfall temple in Penang. Thaipusam takes place in January and early February which is the tenth month according to their calender. Thaipusam is the time for Indians to carry out acts of penance in fulfillment of vows made to the Lord Muruga. Many people come to see Thaipusam celebration in “chariot” pulling where spikes and hooks are pierced into the body. Chariots are pulled to the temple. Devotees were undergoing trances before they accept any piercing. Thaipusam celebrates the day Goddest Parvati bestowed upon her son the “vel” or lance to vanquish the evil demon, Soorapadam. Usually, the week before the event, Hindus prepare themselves by fasting, praying and observing austerities. Food will be vegetarians to clean the body.

Wedding custom

The eve of the wedding day

The bride has decorated the palms of her hands and her feet beautifully with henna. On the day before wedding, the priest conducts a ritual of prayers to welcome the couple in new life. This ceremony is known as Ghari Puja and takes place in both the bride and grooms’ house.

The Wedding Day

The groom is welcomed by the bride’s mother and family as he gets out of his chauffeur driven car. The bride’s mother put a small round red spot on the groom’s forehead and put a garland of flowers around the neck which remarks her approval of the wedding. The bride’s mother accompanies the groom to the canopy where the ceremony will be conducted. The groom’s sister follows behind with metal pot containing rice and coins covered by a handkerchief.  This represents the warding off of evil spirits. The groom’s steps on a small terracotta bowl to signify his virility and strength. While waiting for the bride to arrive, the bride’s parents washed his feet. The bride is accompanied by her uncle to the wedding venue. The bride’s music choice will be played once she enters.

The Ceremony

The bride and groom walk around the fire.

The ceremony begins with the Hasta Melaap where the bride’s right hand is placed into the groom’s right hand. Then, the priest continues to chant the holy verses.

The bride and groom are joined together by a piece of white cloth – one end tied to the corner of the bride’s sari whiles the other corner to the groom’s scarf. A fire is lit in the centre of mandap to illustrate the fire god is invited to witness the union. The right hand of the couple is tied using blessed thread. Their palms are filled with rice, oats and leaves to symbolize wealth, prosperity, health and happiness. The rice, leaves and oat are then offered to the fire. The couple are then proceed to perform a ritual which they walk around the fire four times. Although no readings are carried out during ceremony, music as chosen by the newlywed’s couple is a feature.

The most important part of the marriage ceremony is the Saptapadi which the both couple faces north and take seven steps together. Each step signifies upon God to bless the couple in the following aspects:

·        Family

·        Strength

·        Food

·        Prosperity

·        Happiness

·        Life-long relationship

·        Progeny

The groom places sindoor (holy red powder) on the bride’s forehead to welcome her into his life as his partner. He also gives her a necklace of black beads, known as mangalsutra, which signify his love, devotion and integrity towards her. To end the ceremony, blessings from the priests, parents and close relatives called the Ashirwaad are given. Friends wish to add their congratulations do at the end.

After the wedding ceremony

Dinner takes place after the ceremony which is normally very lavish. Once the dinner has finished, the bride and groom play a number of games. The game that they play involves a large bowl filled with red- coloured milk. It that bowl contains a number of items including a coin. The bride and the groom need to find the coin and the finder is said to be the person who will be the dominant one in the marriage.

 It is time for the bride to say goodbye to her family and friends before she leaves to start her new life with her husband. The groom leads the bride to the car, and once in the car the bride’s brother or male relatives covers her with a shawl and wishes her well.