Though people from different religions are staying in Singapore, all Festivals in Singapore are celebrated in peace and harmony. Some of the major festivals in Singapore are :
Chinese New Year
One of the biggest festivals in Singapore is the Chinese New Year falling on January or February depending on the Chinese calendar. It is a fifteen-day long affair where the Chinese take out time from their busy schedules and spend time feasting with their family and friends. A big procession called the 'Chingay' procession comprising traditional characters, music and dance is taken out by the Chinese, Indian and Malay community on the occasion of this festival.The entire Chinatown is decorated and lighted on this day and the festival is welcomed with dragon and lion dances and parades. You will also find colorful stalls selling everything from Chinese delicacies like love-letter cookies to red and gold colored cards as the smell of incense and flowers permeate the festive air.
More information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_New_Year
Hungry Ghosts festival
This festival is celebrated in the month of September according to Chinese lunar calendar and is held as a mark of respect for the souls of the dead.The Taoists Chinese believe that at this time of the year the 'Gates of Hell' are opened and the ghosts are free to roam the earth. The festival is a time for feasting and entertaining for the ghosts their only time on earth. The Chinese offer food to the ghosts and perform operas in their bid to placate the hungry ghosts. Children are forbidden to wander around after dusk and fake paper houses, money, cars, phones are burned to send them to the other world for the deprived ghosts.A visit to Chinatown will give a glimpse of this superstitious tradition of the Chinese.
Deepavali
A major festival celebrated by the Indian community in Singapore is 'Deepawali' or Diwali, which is also a National Holiday in Singapore. Though the authorities do not permit the bursting of firecrackers, the Hindu households celebrate this festival of lights in their own way by organizing Laxmi & Ganesh puja's at their residence and by offering prayers at the temples.
Thaipusam
Celebrated mainly by the Tamil Hindu community in Singapore, it pays tribute to Indumban an ardent devotee of Lord Murugan (Kartikeya). Normally falling in the month of October a popular belief is that any devotee undertaking to take the kavadi will have his wishes granted immediately.On the day of the festival a procession is taken out from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple in Little India to the Sri Thendayuthapani Temple at Tank Road covering a stretch of 3 km. Devotees form the procession hoping to fulfill their wishes, the men carrying kavadis and the womenfolk carrying pots of milk.The devotees offer pots of milk on the trident of the deity and then remove their kavadis. The festival concludes with a three-day fasting by the devotees.
Hari Raya Puasa
It marks the end of Ramadhan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. Muslims give money to the poor and wear their best clothes. It lasts three days and on the day of the celebration, a typical Muslim family awakes very early, does the first everyday prayer, and is required to eat a little, symbolizing the end of Ramadan. They then attend special congregational prayers held in mosques or large open areas. After the special prayers, festivities and merriment are commonly observed with visits to the homes of relatives and friends to thank God for all blessings.
It is a time of giving and sharing, and many Muslims dress in holiday attire.
Hari Raya Haji
It marks the the Festival of Sacrifice The festivities last for two to three days or more depending on the country. It occurs the day after the pilgrims conducting Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. It happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadhan.
Chinese New Year
One of the biggest festivals in Singapore is the Chinese New Year falling on January or February depending on the Chinese calendar. It is a fifteen-day long affair where the Chinese take out time from their busy schedules and spend time feasting with their family and friends. A big procession called the 'Chingay' procession comprising traditional characters, music and dance is taken out by the Chinese, Indian and Malay community on the occasion of this festival.The entire Chinatown is decorated and lighted on this day and the festival is welcomed with dragon and lion dances and parades. You will also find colorful stalls selling everything from Chinese delicacies like love-letter cookies to red and gold colored cards as the smell of incense and flowers permeate the festive air.
More information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_New_Year
Hungry Ghosts festival
This festival is celebrated in the month of September according to Chinese lunar calendar and is held as a mark of respect for the souls of the dead.The Taoists Chinese believe that at this time of the year the 'Gates of Hell' are opened and the ghosts are free to roam the earth. The festival is a time for feasting and entertaining for the ghosts their only time on earth. The Chinese offer food to the ghosts and perform operas in their bid to placate the hungry ghosts. Children are forbidden to wander around after dusk and fake paper houses, money, cars, phones are burned to send them to the other world for the deprived ghosts.A visit to Chinatown will give a glimpse of this superstitious tradition of the Chinese.
Deepavali
A major festival celebrated by the Indian community in Singapore is 'Deepawali' or Diwali, which is also a National Holiday in Singapore. Though the authorities do not permit the bursting of firecrackers, the Hindu households celebrate this festival of lights in their own way by organizing Laxmi & Ganesh puja's at their residence and by offering prayers at the temples.
Thaipusam
Celebrated mainly by the Tamil Hindu community in Singapore, it pays tribute to Indumban an ardent devotee of Lord Murugan (Kartikeya). Normally falling in the month of October a popular belief is that any devotee undertaking to take the kavadi will have his wishes granted immediately.On the day of the festival a procession is taken out from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple in Little India to the Sri Thendayuthapani Temple at Tank Road covering a stretch of 3 km. Devotees form the procession hoping to fulfill their wishes, the men carrying kavadis and the womenfolk carrying pots of milk.The devotees offer pots of milk on the trident of the deity and then remove their kavadis. The festival concludes with a three-day fasting by the devotees.
Hari Raya Puasa
It marks the end of Ramadhan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. Muslims give money to the poor and wear their best clothes. It lasts three days and on the day of the celebration, a typical Muslim family awakes very early, does the first everyday prayer, and is required to eat a little, symbolizing the end of Ramadan. They then attend special congregational prayers held in mosques or large open areas. After the special prayers, festivities and merriment are commonly observed with visits to the homes of relatives and friends to thank God for all blessings.
It is a time of giving and sharing, and many Muslims dress in holiday attire.
Hari Raya Haji
It marks the the Festival of Sacrifice The festivities last for two to three days or more depending on the country. It occurs the day after the pilgrims conducting Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. It happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadhan.
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