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Winter 2015

Celebration

Indian Festival Diwali (sparkler firework and candle)

Diwali is a special holiday for Hindus and Shiks. It is the most important day of the year. We prepare special foods for this day. We practice special traditions also. Diwali also includes decorations and fireworks at night. The purpose of Diwali is to pray or wish for light in our lives to show us our paths.

Diwali is special for me. On this day I get up early in the morning and prepare food, like: kheer, halwa, vegetables, persaad, and a few roties. Other sweets we will buy from the shops like gulab jamun and laddu.

Diwali is a significant holiday in Sikhism, Hinduism, and Jainism. All religious temples are decorated with lights. Sikhs do not celebrated Diwali for the same reason as other faiths, although the story of Diwali is celebrated for its spiritual significance. Sikh people celebrate Bandi Shor Divas on Diwali. This is the occasion of the return of the sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind Sahib ji, who was freed from imprisonment in 1619. We will go to the Gurdwara temple and remember Guru Ji through prayer and meditation. We will also light divas and set off fireworks, which is the traditional manner of celebration for the festival of lights and also has its own spiritual significance.

First we will go to the Gurdwara to pray for a better future. There we will do Divas and fireworks, then return home. Diwali is a significant religion in Sikh, Hindu and Jani. Both religions share the same messages coming from them and they are the festivals of light. It is a time of year when I feel like celebrating and I feel very thankful.