Dato’ Sri Bernard Chandran’s son surprised his father once with a candid query: a friend had observed the family’s oft-practiced cultural traditions on Instagram, and had asked to join in the next one.
Free-spirited and fiercely proud of his Indian heritage, Bernard’s strong sense of spirituality has left a mark on even the younger generations.
Having captivated the world with his iconic fashion legacy, it’s clear that family, tradition and culture remain at the heart of his values.
Bernard shares the family’s best-loved Deepavali traditions, the meaning behind them, and why they still matter today.
What’s a Chandran family tradition when it comes to Diwali fashion?
On the night before Deepavali, I lay out all the children’s new outfits on gold trays, each with matching jewellery. The trays are placed on our prayer area. In the morning, after the children have showered and come up to the room, I’ll bless them with a simple prayer over all the clothes, wearing my traditional dhoti.
What happens after that?
Tray by tray, I present the clothes to my wife first, then to my eldest son and then the rest of my children. My wife will then present me with mine. We give one another a kiss, and each one goes off to get dressed up.
We then go outside the house and my wife Mary lights the candles. We start with our usual prayers, holding each other’s hands and start affirming one another with little reminders: to be a kind person, to always love one another, to be grateful.
See also: How Poh Kong's Diwali 2019 Collection Spices Up The Festivities
