Last Friday, as part of our third annual Diwali celebration, pupils came to enjoy the spectacle of 250 candles glistening in a dimmed Chapel as we observed the Diwali message of good over evil, light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance. Some of our pupils took the opportunity to learn some Indian dancing to traditional Indian music with Chetanya Y. Everyone received a tilak as a mark of honour and sign of welcome. The tilak, placed on the ‘third eye’ or ‘ajna chakra’, symbolises spiritual awareness and focus.

A highlight of the evening was decorating the chapel floor with rangoli, made from coloured sand and stencils. Rangoli’s significance is rooted in its role as a traditional Indian art form that welcomes deities, brings good fortune and wards off evil. Created at the entrance of homes and temples, particularly during festivals like Diwali, rangoli designs are believed to welcome the goddess Lakshmi and invite prosperity into the home. Beyond its spiritual importance, it’s a communal and therapeutic activity that fosters family and community bonds. 

No festival would be complete without the sharing of food and so, as pupils departed, they enjoyed a sweet treat or ‘mithai’.

A big thank you goes to pupils Shreya, Chetanya and Rohit for their hard work, advice, and for enabling us to take part in this wonderful Indian festival.