My grandaughter & I are discovering & celebrating Diwali

This year because I have many connections here on gather from India, I decided to discover and celebrate a holiday from India with my family especially my grandaughter, Drea.  I will be posting photos of our crafts as we complete them.

The Hndu festival of lights which celebrates the New Year, it ia India's most important holiday.  It literally translates "Rows of lighted Lamps"

Why is it called the Festival of Lights?

Because people light hundreds of small oil lamps called diyas, they place them around the home, in courtyards, and in gardens as well as on roof tops.  I think it is lighting the way for Rama & Sita's homecoming to Ayodhya.

When is Diwali?

Calculated on the Hindu Calendar, it falls on different days each year this day it begins on Oct 28th and continues for 5 days.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali

Drea and I will be making a Diwali Box, a Diwali snack, coloring some Rangoli Patterns and putting together a paper elephant and of couse lighting some lamps.

Below is a Rangoli Pattern to color