Deepavali or Diwali? The story behind the two names of the Festival of Lights
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 7 — As Malaysians prepare to celebrate Deepavali tomorrow, a linguistic debate about the Festiva...
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 7 — The Festival of Lights, celebrated as Deepavali in Malaysia, presents a linguistic conundrum: is it Deepavali or Diwali? Despite the confusion, there is only one correct name for the festival — Deepavali. The name originates from the Sanskrit term Dipavali, signifying a row of lights, with dipa meaning lamp and avali denoting a row or line.
This term is recognized in Malaysia's Holidays Act 1951. While both names encompass the same festival, their usage varies between South and North Indian traditions.
Written by urgent.news from Malay Mail's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
