Diwali Starts this Week!

        

This year, 2024, Diwali or Deepavali, begins on October 31th and lasts for 5 days.

It's a happy time of year and is the biggest holiday in the country of India.  Practiced mainly by people of the Hindu faith, many other people enjoy taking part in the festive holiday season,too. During the holiday, there will be gift giving,lighting lamps(Dipa lamps) special sweet treats including Laddus(sweet wheat balls with nuts and fruits inside) and Karanjis (flour fried dumplings with coconut and sugar), praying, getting together with family and friends and fireworks to help welcome the new year. Deepawali means "festival of lights". 

Fun Facts:

1. Diwali celebrates the end of the harvest season.

2. President Barack Obama was the first US president to participate in a Deepavali celebration in the White House, in 2009.

3. “Shubh Deepavali” means “Have an auspicious Diwali “and is a common greeting for this holiday time. 

4. Diwali marks the Hindu New Year. It is a national holiday in India.

5. Other countries which have Diwali celebrations include: Australia, Guyana, Trinidad, Nepal(called Tihar), Singapore, Japan, Thailand(called Lam Kriyongh) and the United States.

Learn more about Diwali at these links:

http://www.kiddyhouse.com/Holidays/diwali/

Learn about India at these links:

FREEBIE on INDIA: http://gailhennessey.com/index.shtml?traveltoindia.html

WEBQUEST on INDIA: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/India-Country-in-Focus-Webquest-540271

Activities:

Make a Rangoli- Using colored rice flour and water, people decorate patterns on the ground outside their homes and place of worship. It's a way to honor the Hindu goddess Lakshimi and hope the goddess feels welcome in their homes. Use colored markers and create a colorful Rangoli pattern  See some pics:https://www.activityvillage.co.uk/rangoli-crafts

NAMASTE!

Check out my reading passage(with fun facts and additional activities)on Diwali.There are 10 fun Facts in the complete reading activity on the holiday of Diwali. There is also a short paragraph reading with comprehension questions.  The Teacher Page has lots of extension activities and the key: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/DiwaliDeepavaliLearn-about-Diwali-A-Reading-PassageActivity-2176182

IN THE NEWS: 2024

The five day celebration, known as Diwali, will be a bit different this year, in the capital city of India. The holiday celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs, held October 29th-November 3rd this year, will not have any festive firework displays in Delhi. Fireworks and firecrackers are very popular during this holiday. Diwali or Deepavali meaning “Festival of Lights “ is a joyous time. People pray, give gifts, light lamps(Dipa lamps), eat special foods such as weet treats called laddus (sweet wheat balls with nuts and fruits) and Karanjis(flour friend dumplings with coconut and sugar). It is a time to get together with family and friends.However, this year, the government has banned fireworks due to increased pollution concerns.

Gail

Illustration from:openclipart.org