Spring Hill families celebrate Diwali

Two of our panther families share how they celebrate Diwali and explain what makes it so special!

By Kate Allen
Spotlight
October 24, 2022
Jessica Ailani and her children Armaan (5th grade) & Raina (2nd grade) Ailani; How does your family celebrate Diwali? Do you have any traditions or specific things you do every year? Is there anything unique about the celebrations in your family? We get together as a family and light enough candle to have one in each room. We hang lights around the house to welcome Godess Lakshmi to bless our home. We dress in traditional clothes and share a meal with people we love. What is your family's favorite thing about Diwali? Being with loved ones. Armaan & Raina love lighting fireworks and getting gifts. Would you like to share anything with our community who might not know what Diwali is or why it's important? Diwali is a celebration of light- of triumph of good over evil, of the hope in a new year, and the importance of family and friends. two children celebrate Diwali

 

Sonika Khanna and her child Satvik Khanna 5th Grade; How does your family celebrate Diwali? Do you have any traditions or specific things you do every year? Is there anything unique about the celebrations in your family? We celebrate Diwali by lighting clay lamps, burning crackers, eating sweets, giving gifts to family and friends and dressing up for the special day. We follow general traditions that a Hindu family do on Diwali, in addition, we do 'Deep-daan' i.e., gifting clay lamps. We meet our family and friends and gift clay lamps and lit one at their place symbolizing that we are gifting prosperity to them. One unique thing about celebrations in our family is spending a day prior with our extended family Snehashraya Foundation. It is an institute helping children and adults in need who dont have families. There's an orphanage that this Foundation runs and we just love to be with those kids. We meet them and celebrate Diwali with them giving them food they wish to eat and gifts they look for. We had been celebrating our Diwali with them since 2019 since we have got to know about them. We have recently relocated to the US, we will look forward to celebrating Diwali virtually with them this year. What is your family's favorite thing about Diwali? Celebrating day with Snehashraya Foundation kids is what we cherish the most as a family. Apart from that lighting Deep (clay lamps), meeting family and friends and spending time with them are another things we enjoy. Would you like to share anything with our community who might not know what Diwali is or why it's important? Diwali symbolizes victory of good over evil, light over darkness. Lets ensure that with our actions we remove evil or bad from our community and be able to bring light in someone's life.collage of family photos celebrating Diwali