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CLASS  7                                                                                       CLASS   8



                                                                  Decorating houses during Diwali .
     DIYAS, RANGOLI, LANTERNS AND SWEETS EVERYWHERE               Diwali ; A festival of Lights , originated from India is a five day long festival and is
     A  diya  drives  away  any  negative  energies  surrounding  your  house  and  creates  an  likely a fusion of harvest festivals . It is a festival which symbolizes spiritual victory
     atmosphere of happiness and positivity. It is also considered advantageous for ending  of light over darkness , good over evil and knowledge over ignorance . One of the
     streaks of bad luck, or 'Vastu Dosha.'                       most important aspects of Diwali is the decoration of houses . Everyone loves
     More often, diyas are lit during Diwali, and they are very bright and attractive. I like the  decorating houses during Diwali and it gives people a chance to showcase their
     gleaming, brilliant lustre of the diya, which attracts people’s attention. It is believed that  creativity . Here are some tips and suggestions that might help you make your
     making rangoli on an auspicious day brings prosperity and good luck to the family. I love  house look magnificent and lively.
     making  rangoli  designs,  especially  on  Diwali.  The  rangoli  represents  the  happiness,  The most important part is the entrance of the house which is the main door .
     positivity,  and  liveliness  of  a  household  and  is  intended  to  welcome  Lakshmi,  the  You can add a fun paint color or add fresh hardware and a stylish door-knocker.
     goddess of wealth and good luck. I have heard that a Hindu household without a clean  You can make a garland of flowers and hang it on your door and place candles
     entrance and rangoli is an abode of daridra (bad luck). I believe and accept that the  on the side of your porch . In your garden , place circular ceramic or wooden, flat
     purpose of rangoli is beyond decoration.                     and plain surface blocks on which beautiful rangoli patterns can be made . On
     Rangoli looks vivid and eye-catching. Sweets are offered to the gods, shared with family  the eaves of the roofs , you can make exquisite lanterns and hang them along
     and friends, and even distributed to the poor and needy. People mainly make sweets to  with lightings to offer a gleaming sight to visitors . As for the interior ,  a temple
     express gratitude and respect and to let others know their importance in a person’s life.  area inside your house could be made and if you already have one , you can
     Sweets  are  also  made  to  fulfil  the  guests,  who  come  in  search  of  happiness  and  to  upgrade and improve it . Diyas and candles too can enlighten the house . Use
     maintain relationships.                                      string lights and scented candles to maintain the festive mood . Flowers such as
     Lanterns symbolize goodness and purity, and lighting them denotes dispelling darkness  marigold and rose have strong scents and can give a simple and elegant look in
     and going into light. As Diwali is celebrated on the new moon day, the lanterns give light  your house . Loose flower petals encircled around the diyas can elongate the
     to the darkness.                                             center table . Giving your house a deep clean can also bring noticeable changes
                                                                  in your house . Rangolis can also be done inside the house . To make Diwali glow,
     Kanishka Sankar                                              sprinkle some silver and gold glitter over your rangoli. You can give your interior a
     7 A,Indian Learners’ Own Academy, Kuwait.                    new  look  by  repositioning  the  furniture  and  painting  beautiful  murals  on  the
                                                                  walls . After all its about putting forth your artistry . It is not necessary to limit
                                                                  your decorations to your prayer room . Gold is a lovely theme for Diwali . You can
                                                                  give a gold finish to all of your knacks . Chandeliers can too be added on the
     Diwali                                                       ceiling . Its soft and delicate aesthetic complements a range of interior styles,
     In these turbulent times, we all need reassurance that good will eventually triumph over evil.  creating a soothing and inviting atmosphere.If you have a limited budget , most
     Diwali, India’s biggest and most important holiday, offers just that.  of these decors such as flowers , lanterns and Diya holders could be DIY-ed .
                                                                  Large mirrors of unique shaped attached to the walls can make your interiors
     Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is an enchanting celebration that sweeps across India, filling the  aesthetically appealing . Floor Lighting under the beds can also be done to give
     air with excitement and joy. It's a time when the entire country comes alive with vibrant  your room a dazzling gaze . It would be better to use LED lights as they energy-
     colors, sparkling lights.                                    efficient , more durable and have better quality . Diwali theme wall hangings can
     As the sun sets, the sky transforms into a mesmerizing canvas of fireworks. Bursting with  be hung other than just lanterns .
     hues  of  red,  blue,  and  gold,  they  illuminate  the  night  and  create  a  spectacle  that  leaves  These were some tips and suggestions , but if you have some better ideas …….
     everyone in awe. The streets are adorned with flickering diyas, traditional oil lamps, casting a
     warm glow and symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness.  What are you waiting for ? START DECORATING !!!
                                                                  HAPPY DIWALI !!
     The story of Diwali                                          Aqsa Yamakanmardi
     Beyond the festivities, Diwali holds deep spiritual significance. It marks the return of Lord  8, Indian Learners’ Own Academy
     Rama, along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, after their long exile and victory over
     the  demon  king  Ravana.  It  symbolizes  the  triumph  of  good  over  evil,  righteousness  over
     wrongdoing.
     As the night sky lights up with the brilliance of fireworks, and the air is filled with laughter
     and joy, Diwali reminds us to cherish every moment of togetherness, express gratitude and  Shopping During Diwali
     embrace the act of giving.
            It is a time to immerse in the magic of Diwali, the warmth of love and the sparkle of hope  Deepawali is India’s biggest and most important holiday of the year. The festival
                                                                  gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa) that we Indians light
     Zafrin                                                       outside  our  homes  to  symbolize  the  inner  light  that  protects  from  spiritual
     Class 7, Indian Learners’ Own Academy                        darkness. This festival calls for new lights, new decorations, new food and most
                                                                  importantly  new  clothes.  Shopping  for  clothes  is  the  main  part  of  shopping
                                                                  during Diwali.
                                                                  When  nearing  to  the  festival  Diwali,  lights,  candles,  diyas,  sweets,  electronics,
     CLASS  10                                                    clothes, decorative items and puja items are the most sold. And something that is
                                                                  never to be forgotten by mostly us kids, are firecrackers. Diwali is quite a time
                                                                  when we see lots of crowds in shops, ready to buy the most colorful thing they
                                                                  can get on their hands. Am I right? I have a strong feeling I am. Although, shops
                                                                  with cheaper prices calls for more crowds, more crowds call for more money,
     Significance of Diyas, Rangoli, Lanterns and Sweets during Diwali  but what if the shops have only high rates? Not a problem, people will still buy
     The festival of lights, popularly known as Diwali, plays a significant role in the Hindu culture.  the best of best items for their family, the shops will get good business, everyone
     As  the  tale  goes,  Rama,  who  symbolizes  light  and  goodness,  defeats  Ravana,  who
     symbolizes  evil,  thus  showing  that  goodness  will  always  prevail  over  evil.  During  Diwali,  gets their fair share, and everyone is happy! That’s probably why I see so many
     diyas, rangolis, and lanterns are set up to symbolize and remind people of this age-old tale.   happy faces during Diwali shopping, I don’t even realize that I am smiling too!
     Diyas symbolize goodness and purity, and are said to bring prosperity and banish evil. In the  The act or art of selecting and buying gifts is a deeply rewarding experience. It is
     story of Rama, it is said that after defeating Ravana, the villagers lit up a path with diyas so  an  expression  of  love,  gratitude  and  goodwill.  Choosing  the  perfect  gift  for
     that he could find his way home. Each part of the diya symbolizes something different. The  someone, wrapping it and seeing the delight on their faces when they receive it is
     wick of the diya symbolizes a person’s soul and the oil symbolizes evil. As the diya burns, the  like a gift like no other. This abundant shopping brings abundant joy to our loved
     oil burns away symbolizing that the evil burns away too.     ones. Not to mention ourselves, our faces light up when a gift is handed over to
     Rangolis are set up at the entrance of homes to welcome guests and the goddess, Lakshmi.  us. It is not only the gift, but the thought that counts. Shopping during Diwali is
     They are thought to bring good luck and prosperity. It is said that certain Rangoli patterns  quite hectic, but it is also quite worth it. I, myself, love Diwali shopping. Seeing the
     bring about spiritual and positive energy. Most of the time, the ladies of the house create the  shops with all the colorful decorations, the Diwali banners, the sale posters, and
     Rangoli patterns with grains, flower petals, chalk power, salt, etc.   all the vivid yet glowing Diwali items just as glowing as the Diwali lamps are. The
     Lanterns are also set up by Hindus to invite the spirits of their dead relatives to celebrate this
     festive  occasion  with  them.  People  believed  that  if  this  was  not  done,  then  their  dead  focus and interest of choosing out from the colors of diyas, lights, lanterns and
     relatives would curse them into living a life of darkness and sorrow.   the  fun  of  selecting  fire  crackers,  food  items,  sweets  and  our  clothes.  Diwali
     One of the most significant parts of Diwali is the sweets. Multiple shops all over India can be  shopping is just as happy and amusing as the festival is. I have a deep affection
     found  selling  mainly  sweets  such  as  pedas,  barfi,  kajukatli,  kheer,  ladoos,  rasmalai,  gulab  for this festival and I just cannot wait for its arrival. I wish you a festival full of
     jamuns,  jalebis, puranpoli, etc. Families also come together to make these sweets and bond  sweet childhood memories, a sky full of fireworks, a mouth full of sweets and a
     while doing so.                                              heart full of joy. Let each diya you light bring a glow of happiness on your face
     Thus,such  traditions  and  celebrations  are  passed  down  and  makeDiwali  a  special  and enlighten your soul. Here, I conclude my article. I wish you a Happy Diwali.
     celebration for Hindus.
     Gloria Dsouza                                                Mugdha Bhandary, Class VIII D
     X, Indian Learners’ Own Academy.
                                                                  Indian Learners Own Academy
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