KUALA LUMPUR – Will shopping centres accused of sidelining Deepavali festivities in their malls’ decorations take heed of criticism from netizens and step up their game for coming years’ celebrations?
Prior to Hindu devotees celebrating Deepavali yesterday alongside Malaysians of other religions and races, social media was abuzz with complaints about how some well-known malls had opted for seemingly lacklustre displays commemorating the Festival of Lights.
In a video which has since garnered upwards of 1.6 million views, influencer Arwind Kumar shared with his hundreds of thousands of followers his grouses with the Kiara 163 Retail Mall, which he accused of “lazily” setting up a dull tribute to Deepavali.
Including a picture of the small kolam prepared by the mall’s management, Arwind pointed out that the decoration failed to educate the public on the value behind the significance of the celebration, adding that it was located in a “wealthy” area.
The social media personality contended that the mall “might as well do nothing at all” instead of putting up such an uninspiring decoration.
While Arwind did commend several other shopping outlets such as Sunway Pyramid, KLCC and Aeon for their efforts in spreading Deepavali joy on their premises, he highlighted that a large number of malls had opted to prioritise Halloween decorations over Deepavali.
While Deepavali is celebrated to symbolise the victory of light over darkness, goodness over corruption as well as the power of knowledge over ignorance and arrogance, Arwind’s theory is that certain “money-minded” mall managements had done so as they believe Halloween has a “higher demand” was echoed by other netizens who lamented how Halloween was given a spotlight despite it not being a part of Malaysian culture.
In particular, the 1Utama Shopping Centre in Bandar Utama courted flak for its Halloween display. However, others were quick to share that the mall had also taken the initiative to set up decorations for Deepavali, with both celebrations falling on October 31 this year.
Some netizens posited that malls have to consider their commercial interests and go with decorations or displays that are more likely to increase foot traffic and draw bigger crowds.
The debate on festival decorations in malls can also be tied to cultural representation and acknowledgement, especially since such shopping centres are normally regarded as a place visited by members of the public during holidays for diverse occasions.
However, it should also be noted that the blunders by some shopping centres should not be taken as a representation of the entire industry, as plenty of other malls bring their A-game when it comes to celebrating Deepavali.
For instance, a mall in Shah Alam kicked off their Deepavali festivities with a performance by a troupe of bhangra artists, with the dancers and musicians engaging the crowd with their lively rhythm and high energy.
A number of other malls were also included in listicles by news sites as destinations where visitors will be treated with tastefully done lavish decorations and intricately designed kolams which are sure to not disappoint.
While apparently lustreless Deepavali get-ups by malls have often been an annually recurring issue hinting at the frustrations of the underrepresented Indian community, one of the biggest ethnic groups in Malaysia, it remains to be seen if shopping centre managers across the board will commit to doing better. – November 1, 2024