Miss Coote (Year 3 Teacher)

Known as the Festival of Lights, Diwali is typically celebrated by socialising and exchanging gifts with friends and family, as well as lighting oil lamps or candles to symbolise a victory of light over darkness. However, like so many events during a pandemic, the festival was celebrated differently last Saturday.  

This year, the girls had to adapt their Diwali festivities to comply with the precautions put in place to protect against COVID. But this didn’t stop the BGS community celebrating the festival with their families at home and connecting virtually with extended families and friends. 

Read student reflections below:

Jaya Ladher (Year 3 and older sister Miya, Year 5): “This weekend, me and my family celebrated Diwali. Our parents gave us gifts and then we made some special food like gulab jamun (Indian sweet). After that, we set off fireworks in the sky. It was such a special time with my family!”

Samika Sethi (Year 3): “I also celebrated Diwali this weekend! When we woke up, my mum and dad gave me my gifts, and then my mum made some tasty Diwali food. We had a call with our family all around the world to say Happy Diwali and then we baked cakes for 50 homeless people! We also made beautiful Rangoli patterns and decorated the house with lamps outside our front door.”

Akaiya Chowdrey (Year 3): “As I and my family are Sikh, we celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas. This is where we remember the release from prison and return to Amritsar of the sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind. This story reminds us of freedom and human rights which is why we celebrate!”

View celebratory photos here.