Lighting a Lamp: A Diwali Story by Jonny Zucker.
Story of Divaali by Verma Jatinder
Alphabet Book by Famke Zonneveld
Monday, September 22, 2008
Diwali
Diwali is one of the most important festivals celebrated in India. It is celebrated on the darkest night of the year, which usually falls sometime in the beginning of November. Diwali, though, is the festival of lights.
All over India, homes are decorated with lights and earthenware lamps filled with oil. These lamps are called diyas. The name 'Diwali' is from the Sanskrit 'dipavali', which means 'row of lamps'. Diyas are lit in every house to banish the dark and welcome in good luck and good fortune.
People wear new clothes, meet their friends and relatives, eat good food, give each other sweets and gifts, decorate their houses with flowers and lights and Rangoli patterns, and set off fireworks.
In the evening, many people hold a small prayer or puja in their homes. They honour Ganesh, the god of wisdom and good luck, the one who removes all obstacles from life; and they worship Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and good fortune. Lights are left burning all night, so that Lakshmi may feel welcome and enter.
Diwali is also the start of the New Year for many communities in India.
Diwali is a festival of joy, prosperity and good luck, and a celebration of the victory of good over evil - which is expressed through different stories in different parts of India.
More Diwali Stories
All over India, homes are decorated with lights and earthenware lamps filled with oil. These lamps are called diyas. The name 'Diwali' is from the Sanskrit 'dipavali', which means 'row of lamps'. Diyas are lit in every house to banish the dark and welcome in good luck and good fortune.
People wear new clothes, meet their friends and relatives, eat good food, give each other sweets and gifts, decorate their houses with flowers and lights and Rangoli patterns, and set off fireworks.
In the evening, many people hold a small prayer or puja in their homes. They honour Ganesh, the god of wisdom and good luck, the one who removes all obstacles from life; and they worship Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and good fortune. Lights are left burning all night, so that Lakshmi may feel welcome and enter.
Diwali is also the start of the New Year for many communities in India.
Diwali is a festival of joy, prosperity and good luck, and a celebration of the victory of good over evil - which is expressed through different stories in different parts of India.
More Diwali Stories
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Number Poem
A poem to teach your child how to write numbers
Around we go!
To make a zero!
Start at the top then down you run
That's the way to make a one!
Around and back on a railroad track!
Choo, choo, choo!
Around a tree and around a tree,
That's the way to make a three!
Down and across and down once more,
That's the way to make a four!
Short neck, belly fat,
Mr. Five wears a hat.
Make a C then in you go,
That's the way to make six, you know!
Across the sky and down from heaven,
That's the way to make a seven!
Make an S but do not wait,
Go back up and close the gate. (8)
A hoop and a line,That makes a nine.
Around we go!
To make a zero!
Start at the top then down you run
That's the way to make a one!
Around and back on a railroad track!
Choo, choo, choo!
Around a tree and around a tree,
That's the way to make a three!
Down and across and down once more,
That's the way to make a four!
Short neck, belly fat,
Mr. Five wears a hat.
Make a C then in you go,
That's the way to make six, you know!
Across the sky and down from heaven,
That's the way to make a seven!
Make an S but do not wait,
Go back up and close the gate. (8)
A hoop and a line,That makes a nine.
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