Celebrating Chinese New Year the Malaysian Way

          Ask me what I personally like best about the Lunar New Year (or what more commonly known as the Chinese New Year) and I shall tell you that I enjoy the Reunion Dinner on the eve of Chinese New Year the best. The reason? Well, it seems to be the only time of the year when members of the family are gathered over the dining table with a wide variety of delectable cuisines served. 

          Arrica and the family

          What mattered the most, somehow, was not the food (although food was indeed what brought everyone together), but instead the bonds between family members that only grew stronger over the dinner filled with conversations and lots of laughter. And that makes the Reunion Dinner especially remarkable in welcoming the arrival of a brand new year. 

          Aaron and the family

Sherilyn and the family

          
         Besides that, the Chinese New Year also seemed to be the only time of the year when members of the family actually get to reunite and enjoy more of each others' company, thus I believe that it should also be known as a celebration of togetherness, where gatherings and house-visits among relatives, friends or even colleagues would be ubiquitous. Collection of ang pows or red packets (filled with money... and blessings) is also an all-time favorite. ;) 

 Ang Pow Packets

Eden and friends

Aaron and... lots of girlfriends?

          Chinese New Year cookies (it's about food yet again) were also hunted weeks in advance before the arrival of the festivity as they are the essential goods that you simply cannot do without during house-visits, either to serve your guests with the cookies or to exchange them as gifts. Something worth noting is such that one could become protective over their own favorite cookies deemed as nothing but the best, while yours truly too has her personal favorite when it comes to something as important as pineapple tarts. :) 

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        Last but not least no festivity would be festivity when there are no fireworks. Despite being contraband items, fireworks still ignite brilliantly in the skies all around your neighborhood, smelling like charred barbecue meat. It is somehow undeniable that fireworks add sparks to the festivity and noises are just something that we would not want to do without. So, watching the fireworks would also be a must when it comes to the celebration of Chinese New Year. 

  
Happy Chinese New Year! 




Sincerely,


The Bragging Brats 

History of Chinese New Year

The Chinese New Year has a great history. It has been practiced by all Chinese around the world. Even the other races and religions are celebrating it nowadays and practices the culture as well. Now do you know how it is all started ?

It is all started out because of fear. It is all based on a story which is centuries old ago and it passed down from a teller to teller. It was about a terrible mythical monster who look like a giant lion and it was named Nian (年) which is also the meaning of YEAR. It preyed on villagers and everyone are in feared everyday.



One day, an old wise man came out with a plan by making loud noises with drums and firecrackers and hanging red paper cutouts, scrolls on their doors for reasons. Why red paper ? because the Nian is scared of the color red. The villagers then took the old man's advice. On a cold moonless night, the Nian came and hunt them again. However, all of the villagers were so cooperative and they follow the old man's advice. The noise of drums and gongs as well as the lighting bamboo frighten the Nian. At that moment when the Nian is weaken, they jumped up and killed the monster together.



That day onward, it became an anniversary of the date. The Chinese recognize the "passing of the Nian" known in Chinese as "Guo Nian" (过年), which is also synonymous with celebrating the new year.

Some people may ask, why Chinese New Year celebrate different dates every year. The date of Chinese New Year changes every year because it is based on the Lunar Calendar, while the western based on Gregorian calendar which is calculate the earth's orbit around the sun. Easier way to find out when is Chinese New Year, is to observe the moon after winter solstice. It is falls on the next new moon after Winter Solstice.

Below is the picture that how recent days Chinese celebrate CNY. They all came together and share the joy and happiness.

Why is Chinese New Year celebrated?

  Chinese New Year celebrates changes; getting rid of the old and welcoming the new. It is essential for all of us to understand the rationale behind celebrating Chinese New Year.

  In the far east, the celebration marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. Many farmers grabs this golden opportunity to usher in the spring season as they plant for the new yield. Hence, Chinese New Year is also known as Spring New Year.

  We also celebrate Chinese New Year as it is the time of the year when presumably, every member of the family gathers for reunion dinner on New Year's Eve. No matter where one and another lives, the celebration of Chinese New Year brings us back together to share the joy of welcoming the new year.

 Photo source: ilearn-culture.com

  Some Chinese does not eat meat on the first day of Chinese New Year because they believed that each new year carries the name of an animal, as seen in the Chinese Zodiac. Rice is considered as the must-eat food for New Year's Eve dinner as it safeguards and ensures harmony in the family.

  As mentioned before, Chinese New Year is celebrated to scrap the old and greet the new. It is the time to revamp oneself and get rid of grudges, especially among family members. It is regard as true that one should not carry resentments and bitterness into the New Year.

  Along with the Chinese New Year celebrations, there are multiple traditions and beliefs that the Chinese needs to follow closely to ensure a prosperous New Year, like not sweeping the floor on the first day of celebration as it is believed that doing so will 'sweep' away bad luck, decorate the house with red color and placing mandarin oranges in bowls throughout the house as they are the fruits of happiness, and avoid wearing black because the color symbolizes bad luck and death.



  

Little India Brickfields at Jalan Tun Sambanthan

If you were to talk about where will you get more choices on traditional Indian goods such as saris and spices, to local delicacies like thosai, vadai and more. First thing come into mind is this very place that we are going to brag about, the Little India Brickfields.



Now let us start bragging with the history of Little India Brickfields. The original Little India used to be located along Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman and then when it comes to 2009, Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak annouced that the Little India would be moved to Brickfields as the Malaysia's official Little India. As for your information, Brickfields is also known as one of the oldest Indian settlements in the country.



Apart from Indian food and culture you can also find Buddhist temples, mosque and churches in Brickfields, which attracts most of the tourist visitation. It is recommended for you to visit during the weeks leading up to Deepavali in mid October, as because it will turns out a whole new colourful look on the street itself.



Along Jalan Tun Sambanthan, we can find Vivekananda Ashram which constructed in 1904. This elegant building with Moghul style embellishments was named after an Indian spiritual leader Vivekananda who visited Malaya in 1893. Currently is being used for spiritual education classes, prayer meetings and so on. That is his statue standing infront of the building.



Next, the 11m wide three-tiered fountain with the elephant and swan sculptures and lotus motifs carry their own meaning in it. The swans are revered in Indian culture as manifestations of saints who are in the physical world without getting attached to it; just as a swan’s feather does not get wet even when in water. While the elephant represent strength, intelligence, loyalty, spiritualism and obedience to the elders. It is a one meaningful fountain to them.



The colourful shop lots along Jalan Tun Sambanthan.



Brickfields is often called a Divine Location as because it seems to have more than one places of worship from different faiths. This are one of the many places of worship from different religion, The Holy Rosary Catholic Church. It was completed in 1904 and got damaged during World War II. Therefore renovation took place on 1950s. It was constructed by Father Francis Emile Terrien, a French missionary. It has listed in one of the most beautiful churches in Malaysia.



Lastly, if you are interested in visiting Little India in Brickfields at Jalan Tun Sambanthan, there are rail lines run along the road, which is Tun Sambanthan Monorail or the nearby one KL Central Monorail.