Term 4 Week 2: Diwali

 

This week we have a guest writer for our blog. Thank you to Shristi from Kea 1 for researching and writing this about Diwali.

Diwali is the festival of lights which is celebrated once a year.This is the story of how Diwali originated: 

Once upon a time there was a great warrior Ram and his beautiful wife Sita. There was also the meanest demon named Ravan. He had ten heads and twenty arms. He wanted Sita to be his wife but one day he kidnapped her and took her away in his chariot all the way to his kingdom. But clever Sita managed to leave a trail of her jewellery for Ram to follow so he could find her. Ram found her trail and followed it, but along the way he found a monkey named Hunaman who agreed to help him find Sita, and Ram became his good friend.

Hunaman called his monkey and bear friends to help fight the evil servants of Ravan. After a long search they found Sita trapped on the island, but the monkeys and bears couldn’t get across so they built a bridge.

Finally it was complete they rushed across and fought a nasty battle. Ram killed Ravan with his magic arrow. Then Ram could take his beloved wife home. The whole world welcomed them back by lighting divas (lights).

Diwali is an Indian tradition now,  and this story was one of the legends behind Diwali. This year, we are celebrating Diwali on the 23^rd of October with delicious sweets that our parents make,  and lights to celebrate good over evil. We wear our traditional costume and the most exciting part is the fireworks‼ (BOOM‼, BOOM‼) Diwali also celebrates good over evil and India’s Happy New Year. Diwali goes on for a period of 5 days.

By Shristi (Year 7)

 Here is a video of the story of Diwali.




Here's a nursery rhyme about Diwali.

Here's a song wishing a Happy Diwali. 
Here's a video of the dance and song Jai ho from the movie Slum Dog Millionaire.  Can you hear that the language changes to Spanish towards the end?

Here's a group of children dancing to Jai ho.  Watch the little guy in the middle.

You can copy this version of the dance  yourself.

Here's a group of people dancing to Jai ho in America.


Here's a Christmas song you may not have heard before, sung by Bob Dylan.

www.nancymusic.com

Vocabulary for this week:

Diwali - "festival of lights" which celebrates the New Year. It is India's most important holiday.

banished – sent away and not allowed to come back; banned

exile – where you are when you are banished and not allowed to come back home.

chariot – a kind of horse drawn carriage

diva – an oil lamp

rangoli -  a colourful pattern on the floor