On Wednesday, November 6th, and Tuesday, November 15th, there were so many interesting things to do at school for Diwali. We could get tattoos, solve puzzles and word searches, do diya decorating, get Indian snacks and sweets (motichoor ladoos, bhujia (AKA shev), and other Diwali-themed activities. On Wednesday there were many amazing performances like cultural songs, dances, and even a fashion show! For those of you who are unfamiliar with Diwali, I’ll explain a bit about the story, festivities, and many other aspects of this amazing festival.

The Hindu festival of Diwali is an ancient festival that celebrates the return of Rama, Sita, and Laxshma from his 14-year exile. When Rama’s father’s stepwife forced him into exile Rama to let her own son become king, Rama’s father had no choice but to send Rama and his brother, Laxshma, to the forest for 14 years. Sita, Rama’s wife, also went with them. While in the forest, Ravana, a ten-headed demon, spotted Sita and begged to marry her. Sita, being loyal to Rama, refused. Ravana became angry and kidnapped Sita. When Rama and Laxshma found out, they marched across the sea to rescue Sita. A terrible fight erupted between Rama and Ravana. Try as he might, Rama could not kill Ravana. Then he took out his golden bow - the one that was given to him by the gods. Taking careful aim, he killed Ravana once and for all, rescuing Sita and going back to his city. His ban ended, and his return was celebrated by the people with fireworks and lights.

As for the festivities and cultural aspects of Diwali, among some of the major traditions observed are festive gatherings, firecrackers and fireworks, feasting on Indian food (especially the sweets!). Traditional Diwali clothes are shararas, lehengas, kurtas, and salwar. Now it is time for Diwali snacks! Some common Diwali snacks include ladoos, rasmalai (cheese patties dipped in a mil sauce), and gulab jamun. Ladoos are sweet and kaju katli is an absolute must! Also, there are more tasty snacks made with potatoes including bhuja and samosas. Bhuja is spicy potato bits with peas and beans. Samosas have tasty fried breading on the outside and a delicious aftertaste on the inside including peas, and potatoes. This year students enjoyed celebrating Stratford Prep’s first-ever Diwali hosted by Ms. Tutty and Ms. Travis and are looking forward to next year’s celebration.