The school wished a happy Diwali to all students and families celebrating this week. Diwali is important to Hindus and Sikhs, and we are fortunate to be able to celebrate this within our school community.
Students learned about Diwali during a special assembly, and a group of Sixth Form students created an information stand, decorated the reception area with lights and arranged for traditional sweets to be given to all students in celebration.
Diwali (or Deepavali) is also known as the Festival of Light. Diwali comes from the Sanskrit language and means 'row of lamps'. The festival's name derives from the row of clay lamps lit outside homes to symbolise the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness. Houses and streets in some places are decorated with small oil lamps called diyas. During Diwali, patterns, called rangoli, are drawn on floors.
Diwali is celebrated every year in October or November. The exact date changes every year to coincide with the new moon. With the new moon, Diwali marks a new beginning. For many, it symbolises joy, love, reflection, resolution, forgiveness, light and knowledge.
Diwali is traditionally a time for cleaning homes, decorating houses with lights and candles, wearing new clothes, painting henna tattoos on hands, giving presents, and getting together with family and friends.
As a school, we encompass and celebrate various festivals, marking diversity in our school community. Celebrating diversity allows us to understand equal opportunities for all. It gives our school community the tools to succeed when coming from different places in life, supporting our mantra "Our Differences Unite Us".