In the lead up to Diwali, which falls on Monday 24th October, the BGS community decided to host its very first Diwali themed celebration on Thursday during school lunch time. 

Diwali, often referred to as the ‘Festival of Lights’ comes from the Sanskrit word ‘Deepavali’ meaning “rows of lighted lamps.” It is a five-day celebration and symbolises the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. The Festival of Lights is celebrated by Hindus and Jains, and Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhorh Divas which fall at a similar time of year. In some parts of India, the day after Diwali is celebrated as the Hindu New Year.

To fuel the Diwali party atmosphere during lunchtime, there was an array of the finest Indian inspired fare. Our amazing Green Kitchen team prepared mouth-watering dishes including Pakoras, Baked Fish Masala, Matar Paneer, Mixed Vegetable Sabzi, Cardamom Spiced Cupcakes and more. The spirit of Diwali was truly captured with Indian themed music being played and the Dining Hall which was adorned with colourful banners and balloons.   

Truly – this was an event to remember. To the Green Kitchen team that organised it, thank you! We captured some photos here.

Students and staff have taken their time to share their thoughts about the Diwali themed school lunch event:

Mrs Tombs (Deputy Catering Manager): “What a wonderful lunch time we had in the Greens Kitchen celebrating our first Diwali. We are lucky to have many cultures in the catering team and Sunita (Pastry Chef) and Bhupinder (Kitchen Assistant) suggested a celebration lunch to celebrate Diwali after such a successful Eid-al-Adha celebration.  

“The team sat and created a mouth-watering Indian themed feast menu, we decided on decorations and then spent the week leading up to the event. It was a total joy to see the students dancing to the Bhangra music while waiting in line to be served. The atmosphere in the dining hall was electric and the Chicken Bhuna was definitely the dish of the day.”  

Manaal Alam (Year 11): “The Diwali themed lunch today was so much fun and the food was delicious. I especially loved the music playing in the Dining Hall as it is similar to the cultural music I listen to at home, so it made the lunch even more enjoyable. Although I don’t celebrate Diwali myself, a lot of my friends do and it was exciting to be involved in the celebration.” 

Ruby Kaur (Lower Sixth): “Diwali is a time where we as a family all come together. It is an important festival for us to reconnect with our culture and religion. To celebrate we set off fireworks, which is a very common tradition in India, and we eat Indian food. I always look forward to celebrating Diwali as it is a time to remember the religious story whilst enjoying some delicious food!”

Jaspreet Sahota (Upper Sixth) “Diwali is an important time of year for my family. We all gather together in our Indian outfits and prepare great quantities of delicious foods such as samosas and pakoras. It is an exciting opportunity to meet up and celebrate with others amidst everyone’s busy schedules. 

“One of my favourite things to do is light diyas, these are oil lamps made of clay with a cotton wick in ghee which burn throughout the night. I also enjoy watching colourful fireworks illuminate the dark sky alongside people from my community. Diwali is much more than celebrating traditions, it is about spending time with loved ones, reliving childhood memories and being surrounded by stunning lights and decorations.”

We wish you all happiness with your loved ones and hope you enjoy a hearty feast during your Diwali celebrations.