This week the Southeast Asian Affinity Group brought a beautiful assembly celebrating the Indian holiday of Diwali, the Festival of Lights to the Lower School. Lower School students learned that Diwali is the biggest and brightest of festivals celebrated all over the world.
We learned that Diwali commemorates the victory of good over evil and is a time for new beginnings and the Indian New Year. Many people celebrate by going to the temple and offering sweets to Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity.
We learned about Diwali through song, dance and story. After a brief lesson about the significance and origin of Diwali, pre-school through fifth grade boys and girls performed a series of Indian dances set to popular Bollywood music. The energy in the room was incredible, and children in the audience celebrated along with the performers by clapping, smiling and appreciating the love and respect for this holiday.
Not only did we get to experience this magical assembly, but our Southeast Asian families help children bring the spirit of Diwali home by gifting every student with a Diya, a small candle holder meant to welcome brightness and light into our lives.
This beautiful assembly helped us learn about a holiday important to so many of our students and their families, and we are most grateful to the Southeast Asian Affinity Group – and a special thank you to choreographer Kavita Bafana and producer Geeta Ganatra – for organizing this very special assembly.