Academics

Kindergarten: Divali 2007

Friday, November 9, was Divali, also known as the “Festival of Lights.” Divali is the biggest Hindu festival of the year, and Kindergarteners had the good fortune of having Mrs. Mundra, one of their own teachers, as well as Mrs. Jha, a parent of one of their classmates, on hand to explain the holiday’s significance, share some of their culture’s accoutrements, and lead them in an arts and crafts project appropriate to the occasion.

Mrs. Mundra explained that Divali is an ancient holiday that celebrates the return of Lord Rama and his wife after their exhile of fourteen years. The day is celebrated by lighting small candles, called diyas, visiting relatives, feasting, and shooting off fireworks.

Mrs. Mundra and Mrs. Jha also spoke about their traditional clothing and the geometric patterns used to adorn homes during Duvali. Using glue and rice grains dyed various bright colors by Mrs. Jha, the children created their own designs on paper plates.

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