In Conjuction with New Postage Stamp, Greenhill Community Celebrates Diwali

Greenhill’s South Asian Family Resource Group helped the entire Greenhill community celebrate the joyous festival of Diwali during the week of October 24-28. This year’s celebration coincided with the U.S. Postal Service issuing a commemorative Diwali Forever Stamp featuring a traditional diya or oil lamp.Diwali is one of the largest Hindu festivals celebrated each year in the fall and takes its name from the clay lamps lit around homes to symbolize that inner light protects from spiritual darkness.As a part of the Greenhill celebration, the South Asian Family Resource group put rangoli displays, colorful patterns created on the floor from colored sand or flour, in the Preschool and Lower School building for students admire. They also set-up displays of with lights in the Middle and Upper School buildings.On Friday, October 28, students presented to their classmates about Diwali, faculty members donned saris and kurtas, and Upper School students performed dances for the younger students.“On the actual Diwali day,” sophomore Manvi Mittal explained to the Preschool students, “ we perform a puja, which means prayer. We light diyas, which are tiny candles, eat sweets, and get presents.”To learn more about Diwali celebrations in the White House CLICK HERE, and for additional background about the holiday CLICK HERE.Happy Diwali to all Greenhill families celebrating this joyous occasion!