Festivals In Malaysia

Locals and visitors to Malaysia enjoy attending numerous celebrations throughout the year. But if you want to experience Malaysian culture at its best, check out this list of events you should attend in 2021!

Thaipusam

Thaipusam, one of Malaysia’s most significant Tamil holidays, honors the good Lord Muruga’s triumph over the evil spirit Soorapadman with a lot of fanfare. You may see the spectacular procession that departs from Kuala Lumpur during the three-day celebration at the well-known Batu Caves temple around the full moon day. 

Over a million followers swarm the temple to receive Lord Muruga’s blessings as he is pulled in a silver chariot to the beat of drums and chants. The sight of fervent believers carrying objects with metal spikes attached to them—”kavadis”—is impressive.

Chinese New Year

The largest and most significant Chinese holiday in Malaysia is a 15-day long grand cultural event that begins on the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar and ends with the Lantern Festival. Everywhere in the nation, Chinese New Year is observed.

On New Year’s Eve, the celebrations begin with a reunion dinner and a trip to the temple to ask the God of Prosperity for blessings. It also incorporates fascinating customs like distributing the “ang pow” to kids and distributing mandarin oranges as a symbol of fortune.

Malaysia Water Festival

Like Holi in India, the Water Festival is celebrated in Malaysia, but without using dried colors or colored water. It’s one of Malaysia’s most exciting cultural festivals, held during a gap year, where people of all ages and backgrounds come together to pour water on one another fervently.

Kuantan is where the event starts, and Labuan is where it ends. An international fishing competition, a kayaking race, sandcastle construction, and other activities are included.

Tadau Kaamatan Harvest Festival

This indigenous festival of the Kadazan-Dusun, the largest ethnic group in Sabah, is mainly a celebration to give thanks to the gods for a plentiful crop that has made it onto the list of well-known festivals in Malaysia.

To honor “Bambaazon,” the spirit of rice padi, padi farmers gather for traditional rituals and celebrations. 

Traditional sports, including arm-wrestling, blowpipe shooting, and other events, are displayed at the KadazanDusun Cultural Organization’s headquarters.

 One of Malaysia’s most intriguing cultural celebrations is made even more exciting by the free-flowing tap and living, the local rice wines.

 Wesak Day

In Malaysia, Wesak Day is a well-liked holiday. Like in all Buddhist nations, Malaysia’s Wesak festival celebration offers you the option to take part in this significant occasion commemorating the three great turning points in Buddha’s life: his birth, enlightenment, and nirvana. 

Around the nation, Buddhists practice fasting to purify themselves and also spend all day in meditation at the temples. As a sign of releasing the soul and atoning for one’s sins from previous lives, they also release tortoises and doves. Almsgiving, spirituality, and positivism are hallmarks of this religious celebration. This celebration, out of all the festivals celebrated in Malaysia, is the most tranquil, radiating optimism.

The most impressive aspect is the Open House when Malaysians throw open their doors and offer all visitors great hospitality along with regional cuisine and desserts.

Sarawak Gawai Festival

This Malaysia celebration, which starts on June 1 and lasts for an entire month, is one of Malaysia’s most significant harvest festivals and is celebrated by the native Dayak race of Sarawak, the country’s largest state. The Dayak people fervently welcome the New Year while dressed in their traditional garb and partaking in an intriguing ritual offering.

A longhouse, the traditional Dayak residence with over 40 families living under one roof, is the perfect location to see the events in all of their splendor! The festivities are energized and charmingly enhanced by traditional dances, feasting, and free-flowing tuak (rice wine). It makes sense that it occupies a unique position on Malaysia’s list of festivals.

Rainforest World Music Festival

Nothing compares to the thrill of gyrating to foot-stomping music in the Borneo rainforests with thousands of music lovers from around the globe.

The Rainforest Music Festival, one of Malaysia’s most stunning and sizable music festivals, features live performances by eminent international performers and workshops, and cultural activities. 

One of the best events in Malaysia in 2021 will take place at the Sarawak Cultural Village over three beautiful days.

National Day

Hari Merdeka is one of Malaysia’s most illustrious celebrations and should be noticed if you’re in Kuala Lumpur at this time. It commemorates the country’s independence from British rule on this day in 1957. 

The Malay people celebrate this significant day with spectacular fireworks on the eve of Independence Day, a magnificent parade in the morning at Merdeka Square, and concerts and performances all day long.

Parades, stage performances, and exhibitions are conducted nationwide, but Kuala Lumpur’s enthusiasm is unmatched. Attending this festival is necessary to see Malaysia’s lavish celebrations.

Mooncake Festival & Hungry Ghost Festival

This holiday, also known as the Lantern Festival or Mid-Autumn Festival, is held in remembrance of the moon goddess after a fruitful harvest. Malaysians regularly celebrate the Lantern Festival.

The festivities promote harmony between the community and family and are marked by colorful lantern processions and delectable mooncakes. Another distinctive holiday is called the Hungry Ghost Festival, which takes place before the mid-autumn festival and is one of the cheeriest celebrations in Malaysia because it involves food offerings and traditional puppet performances, among other things, to please the spirits of the dead.

Conclusion 

These are some of the festivals celebrated in Malaysia that you can also enjoy while planning a trip to Malaysia.