What is Diwali?
Diwali is referred to as the festival of lights and is celebrated to honour Rama-Chandra, the seventh avatar.
The festival is often celebrated through traditional Indian foods, dancing and musical performances. It's a colourful festival where it is encouraged to wear traditional Indian outfits while listening and dancing to traditional tunes.
The five days of Diwali:
- Day One - Dhanteras (Day of fortune) People clean their homes and shop for gold or kitchen utensils to help bring good fortune
- Day Two - Naraka Chaturdasi (Day of knowledge) People decorate their homes with clay lamps and create design patterns called Rangoli on the floor using coloured powders or sand
- Day Three - Diwali (Day of light) On the main day of the festival, families gather together for Lakshmi Puja, a prayer to Goddess Lakshmi, followed by a delicious feast and firework festivities
- Day Four - Annakut (New Year) This is the first day of the new year, when friends and relatives visit with gifts and best wishes for the season
- Day Five - Bhai Duj (Day of love between siblings) brothers visit their married sisters, who welcome them with love and a lavish meal.
When is Diwali?
Sunday, 12 November
Activites:
- Grouptime story: Binny's Diwali by Thrity Umrigar
- Create a paper lantern
- Make a rangoli
- Cook a traditional Indian meal together
- Make a salt dough diyas
- Explore foam Diya's
- Sensory Play with coloured salt
- Hand art