There’s something electric in the air in Kuala Lumpur in late October, a dusk-light charged with golden lamps, the hubbub of people, the scent of cardamom and sugar. I’m walking through The Curve in Mutiara Damansara just before sunset, camera in hand.
The mall’s Centre Court dazzles with radiant orange arches adorned with Indian-inspired designs and lanterns, leading to a magnificent giant diya surrounded by a vibrant kollam, colourful florals and elegant peacock displays, all glowing under a festive chandelier of paper fans and tassels. The ‘Luminous Deepavali’ display here pulses with colour, mixing tradition and spectacle. Shoppers hover, pause, snap photos.
At Suria KLCC, the theme is ‘Deepavali in Full Bloom’. Its Centre Court has transformed into an enchanted garden of lights. The centrepiece is a giant illuminated lotus surrounded by kollam and interactive lights, complemented by two multi-layer lotus-shaped kollam on the side and giant lotus arches at the back. A perfect backdrop for Bharat Natyam dancers, with smiles as bright as their silk costume.
Everyone’s taking selfies. Children tug at parents toward the interactive displays, there are mehndi parasols, lanterns, a rickshaw gleaming under fairy lights. There’s laughter. Tourists soak it in. Locals in salwar-kameez and sarees, trails of jasmine in their hair, feeling festive already.
Pavilion Bukit Bintang holds its magic too. Around the Crystal Fountain, there is a shimmering 3D kollam, radiant diyas, radiant peacocks at rest, poised for flight. On weekends, performers in bright saris and kurtas spin into Rajasthani dance or kathak. Music carries through the walkways: drums, cymbals, voices.
Pavilion feels theatrical in the best sense, every installation a stage, every passer-by a potential audience. I stopped by a stall selling chaat, pani puri – crisp puris exploding with mint, chutney, bursts of tamarind. Grand Trunk Road’s stalls spill over with burfi, laddoo, malai chumchum, each sweet shaped, polished, heavy with ghee.
Gardens Mall has pulled out all the stops with this year’s “Ancient Structures and Traditional Dancers” inspired kollam theme. I saw it first thing in the morning after it went up – its design reminiscent of the grandeur and detail once seen in historic gateways, carved pillars and sacred spaces.
Paisley kollam, rooted in Indian and Persian art, symbolizing fertility, growth and abundance, intricately decorated the floor. At Jaya Grocer, Deepavali gift packs, wrapped up in brocade and orchid, line the entrance. On the PA system, the soundtrack is ‘Mittwa’.
KL Sentral, less flashy, perhaps, than the tourist-heavy malls, still wears a festive cloak. Food courts have fairy lights woven into their beams, small pop-ups selling salwar kameez, necklaces, bangles, earrings and sweets bright as these jewels. Barbeque Nation offers a fusion platter: spicy tandoori meats, crispy papads, but also these bite-sized snacks to pair with tea after dinner.
Brickfields feels like the heart of the festival’s pulse. On its streets, stalls are strung up one after another: bright clothes, lehengas, kurtas, salwars in fuchsia, turquoise, gold thread, imitation jewellery gleaming under low bulbs, sweets piled high, savouries crackling in oil, firecrackers snapping and fizzling in small clusters. Families walk slowly, choosing gifts, negotiating prices, children dragging parents toward the next handful of treats.
Bukit Jalil’s shopping exhibition, loud, crowded, brilliant, adds another flavour. Large tents filled with handicrafts, rows of stalls of sweets, accessories, lights. Live performances on stage: dance, music, drums. The air smells of burning incense, grilled food, fried snacks.
I find myself moving through the crowds, camera clicking, absorbing faces lighting up as old folks remember their childhood, children wide-eyed, couples laughing at the smallest things. There were banners for “Hello Deepavali” events at Bukit Jalil’s National Stadium, Aeon Big Falim, as locals gathered for entertainment, live music, meet-and-greets.
Amid all this, Astro’s Ithu Namma Kondattam (This is our celebration) campaign feels like the connective thread weaving through Kuala Lumpur’s Deepavali.
Radio station RAAGA dropped a new song, Attam Pattam Deepavali, that loops through market stalls and mall-courtyards alike. Astro is distributing care packs, working with NGOs to share food, sweets, and 10,000 glasses of Mooru (a chilled yogurt drink) at the stadium, attempting a Malaysia Book of Records moment. It’s not just commerce or spectacle. There’s a sense of inclusion, and the mantra “Ithu Namma Kondattam” feels earnest in these moments.
Diwali celebrations bring together multiple generations; but sometimes, probing questions from relatives can spark tension. Julie’s Biscuit reframes these moments in its first-ever Deepavali short film, The Duel, a witty and heartfelt story that encourages viewers to see family interactions through a kinder lens.
In all the malls, in Brickfields, in the exhibition tents, what strikes me over and over is excitement. Elderly couples lingering to admire an installation, teenagers comparing ring lights, toddlers dancing to music, housewives clutching gift bags, shopkeepers smiling at passing customers. I’ve taken dozens of photos: hands lighting diya, reflection of lanterns, sweets boxed in foil, how a kollam catches the light just so.
This year, Diwali feels luminous, communal, like a tapestry of light and laughter and tradition woven through the city. It feels like everyone is waiting for the flicker of lamps that says: we’ve made it to the festival of hope once again
