LUST for LIFE

That’s Mr Swami,  journalist with the Malay Mail, posing beside a statute of Lord Ganesha. Mr Swami and his wife had earlier visited the Hindu temple in Pudu - I believe it’s the Sri Ganesar Court Hill Temple.

He was the first to strike up a conversation, seeing me with my camera gears; asking whether I was from overseas. He lighted up when I asked him about some of the rituals that were being conducted in the temple. He was only too happy to elaborate … and during that few minutes I gathered a lot about the significance of Deepavali, the Festival of Lights.  The festival signifies the conquest of light over darkness. ‘Darkness’ represents ignorance and negative forces and actions, and ‘Light’ being the metaphor for knowledge. Thus, lighting a lamp is to rid the negative forces and deeds - greed. lust, wickedness, violence, injustice, oppression, anger, envy, bigotry, fear and suffering. I now have a clearer understanding of the significance of coconuts being used in the Hindu festivals and celebrations.

BTW our conversation also touched on the recent calamities and natural disasters , wherein Mr Swami offered some explanation for the increased occurrence of such events.

Before we departed from the temple, we exchanged phone numbers.