Diwali Celebrated in the Primary School

Pupils of the primary school have recently enjoyed celebrating Diwali, popularly known as the festival of lights.

Diwali is an important five-day festival in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism, occurring between mid-October and mid-November and children of the primary school enjoyed celebrating with traditional costume, home-made biscuits and sweets as well as customary dancing.

Nursery children pictured in traditional costume and with their brightly coloured Diwali work

For Hindus, Diwali is the most important festival of the year and is celebrated in families by performing traditional activities together in their homes and is an official holiday in India,  Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore, and Fiji.

Diwali commemorates the return of Lord Rama along with Sita and Lakshman from his fourteen-year-long exile and vanquishing the demon-king Ravana. In joyous celebration of the return of their king, the people of Ayodhya, the Capital of Rama, illuminated the kingdom with earthen diyas (oil lamps) and burst crackers.

Some of the older years also got involved in the day’s celebrations, making Diyas out of clay which helped to light the way for Rama and Sita to leave the forest and escape the demon Ravana. Two year 4 girls, Jasmine and Aishu also treated some of the other students to a spellbinding display of traditional dancing in full costume, while children from year 3 wore bindis for the day.