In Photos: Celebrating Diwali 2020 during the pandemic

KUALA LUMPUR — This year, millions celebrating Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights celebrating the triumph of good over evil, had to adapt their plans amid various restrictions on gathering during the coronavirus pandemic.

Read: What is Diwali?

Following an increase in the number of coronavirus cases, Malaysia is experiencing a second wave of lockdowns on the affected areas, with interstate travel banned. For many families, this meant that they couldn't celebrate Diwali together this year.

“This year our Diwali celebrations look quite different, it is the first time that we are not together with the whole family,” said Kasthury Paramiswaran. “Usually we would all gather in my grandparents’ house outside Kuala Lumpur, but this year because of the restrictions it is not possible. My parents are under quarantine in a hotel after returning from overseas, so I joined the celebration together with my cousins in my uncle's house in Kuala Lumpur.”

In Malaysia, Diwali is celebrated as a festival having at its center the family gathering. On Diwali eve, the celebration starts with prayers honoring the ancestors of the family.

“Every year we do prayers for the ancestors in my parents’ house, but this year, because we are not together with the whole family in our ancestors house, each part of the family will do a more simple prayer in their own house,” said Dato' Mahalingam, who has 10 siblings. “Our tradition requires to have the prayer every year in the same household, which would usually be my parents’ house, in order for the prayer to be fully received by our ancestors.”

This year, the prayers were shared through video calls with members of the family celebrating in different households.

In Kuala Lumpur all places of worship have been closed for their normal hours since Oct. 14, when the capital city and the surrounding districts were put under a Conditional Movement Control Order.

On the morning of Diwali, the temples were opened for a few hours, for limited numbers of people, depending on the size of the temple. At Sri Maha Mariammam, the oldest Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur, people could worship under strict social distancing rules. “According to the SOP, we can allow maximum 30 people in at the same time. We allow them to pray for half an hour, after which we sanitize the temple and allow another group in”, said Letchu, representative of the temple.

A young woman called Janani prayed on the morning of Diwali Nov. 14 at the Sri Maha Mariammam temple, the oldest Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur. “Every year I go to the temple on Diwali with my friends,” she said. “I am from Thailand, and I work here, so I am alone. This year I couldn’t join any of my friends as they live in different districts, and we can’t meet because of the lockdown. I decided to come alone, as this is one of my favorite temples in Kuala Lumpur. Here I feel like home.”

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Hindus observed social distancing while praying on the morning of Diwali Nov. 14 at the Sri Maha Mariammam Temple. Photo by Alexandra Radu.

Sanitation was performed every 30 minutes during the Diwali prayers at the Sri Maha Mariammam Temple, the oldest Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur. Photo by Alexandra Radu.

Hindus observed social distancing while praying on the Diwali morning at the Sri Maha Mariammam Temple, the oldest Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur. Photo by Alexandra Radu.

Janani prays on the Deepavali morning at the Sri Maha Mariammam temple, the oldest Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur. Photo by Alexandra Radu.

Hindu priests perform rituals on the morning of Diwali at the Court Hill Ganesh Temple, one of the oldest and most famous Hindu temples in Kuala Lumpur. Photo by Alexandra Radu.

Hindus observe social distancing during Diwali at the Court Hill Ganesh Temple, one of the oldest and most famous Hindu temples in Kuala Lumpur. Photo by Alexandra Radu.

Hinds pray on the morning of Diwali at the Court Hill Ganesh Temple, one of the oldest and most famous Hindu temples in Kuala Lumpur. Photo by Alexandra Radu.

Hindus bring offerings and pray on the morning of Diwali outside the Court Hill Ganesh Temple, one of the oldest and most famous Hindu temples in Kuala Lumpur. Photo by Alexandra Radu.

Kasthury live streams the prayer to the ancestors happening in her uncle’s house to her parents, currently in quarantine in a hotel in Kuala Lumpur after returning from overseas. Photo by Alexandra Radu.

Kasthury gave offerings to her ancestors in her uncle’s house in Kuala Lumpur on Diwali. Photo by Alexandra Radu.

Dato’ Mahalingam prays together with his family in their house in Kuala Lumpur on the Diwali eve. Prayers and offerings were given to the ancestors before starting the Diwali celebration. Photo by Alexandra Radu.

Simon and Sharveen play with firecrackers in front of their uncle’s house in Kuala Lumpur. Fireworks, that mark the beginning of the Diwali celebrations, are one of the must have fun activities. Photo by Alexandra Radu.

Dato’ Mahalingam’s family celebrate Diwali in their house in Kuala Lumpur. “We would usually be around 50 to 70 people for our Diwali celebrations, with our whole family gathered in our ancestors house in our hometown. It’s a very lively gathering, with many activities going on at the same time. This year it’s just a few of us,” said Kasthury, one of Dato’ Mahalingam’s nieces. Photo by Alexandra Radu.

Alexandra Radu is a photojournalist based in Bucharest, Romania. She has been published in Al Jazeera, the New York Times, Religion News Service, Reuters and AP, and her images have won awards at the Religion News Association Awards for Religion Reporting Excellence in 2017, 2018 and 2019.