From the Desk of your PCA Team .....
Diwali is the festival of lights. A Mela is equivalent of a carnival in the west. This year, our Country Coordinators and the school have worked very hard to put together our fantastic event - The Diwali Mela. The Diwali Mela will be filled with food, traditional Dances to see and take part in, games for all, a bazaar for all to enjoy. Kids will have a bouncy house and popcorn to enjoy. Activities such as the mendi, making/coloring pots at the potter’s wheel and cane arts will be items to name a few. To top the event, our food caterer will be serving rolled kulfi (ice-cream). This is ice-cream on a cold stone wheel which is favored to one’s liking. This is treat for all.
The programme will begin with lighting of the Diwali lamp and then promptly will begin with performance at 5:30 in the FAC with our younger ES kids. From the FAC, the Mela will travel down to the field where there will be further performances of our students, followed by performances by professional dancers; And then the floor will be open for open dancing for all. Professional dancing will include north Indian dancing of Garba, and south Indian dancing of Thappattam and Karagattam.
Other Activities and Sponsors
Food, which includes north Indian chaat (such as samosas) and south Indian chaat (such as mini-idlis) will be available with the main course also served. Our HS kids have come out in full flow to have different games for children to partake. ALL PROCEEDS from the Games will go to the HS Students’ Charities of their choice. Other sponsors have also come for the event, who are selling different items, which may interest you. Items begin at about Rs.100 and go up, based on value. A list of all the games, and sponsors are listed below. We urge all parents, faculty and staff to come and support our kids.
For our young kids we will have bouncy castle and free popcorn and cotton candy.
Stalls by HS Kids, Co-Sponsored | Games |
MIOT Hospital | Mendhi |
Sitaram Jewelers | Mendhi |
PMR Relocations | Photo Booth |
Universal Relocation | Marbles Game |
The Right Moo | Pin the flame game |
HDFC | Water pots game |
GRT Hotels | Musical Chairs |
Rangoli - learn to make rangoli |
Sponsors selling items | Items being Sold |
Ajnabee Snacks | Indian snacks and sweets |
CocoaTrait | Chocolatier |
Pasha Beads | Beads, costume jewelry, etc. |
Cache | Gift items |
M.Rm.Rm. Cultural Foundation (NGO) | Straw Baskets |
Momoyama | Chicken dumplings, and Kimbab (veg only) |
Ambrosia | Breads and Cookies |
Speed Trust (NGO) | Handbags |
Dinner Options
Diwali Mela Menu (No Charge)
- Regular food vendor:
We will have two counters each of counter nos 3,4,5,6 to avoid long Queue.
Extra items on Menu (Charged)
- Kids menu
- Popcorn
- Cotton candy
- Korean Food
- Chicken Dumplings
- Kimbab (vegetarian)
Performances from our kids totaling over 2 hours!! Thus, do stay for the evening and see the performancing from our kids while enjoying the different foods offered at the Mela.
Pictures
There will be a photographer who will take pictures, which is charged. If you would like a picture at 4” x 6”, it will be Rs.200 and for a 6” x 8” it will be Rs.400. If you would like photo frames, it will be charged at cost. The photographer will be set up across from the GRT booth for Musical Chairs.
Tickets will be Rs.600 for adults and HS students. Kids from 8th grade to PS3+ will be Rs.500, under that age are free. We will begin selling tickets on the 21st of October till the 30th of October. Tickets will not be able to be purchased at the door.
We look forward to seeing you there.
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Diwali Significance
Diwali (or Deepavali, the "festival of lights") is an ancient Hindu festival celebrated in autumn (northern hemisphere) every year. Diwali is the biggest and the brightest festival in India. The festival spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness. The festival preparations and rituals typically extend over a five-day period, but the main festival night of Diwali coincides with the darkest, new moon night of the Hindu Lunisolar month Kartika. In the Gregorian calendar, Diwali falls between mid-October and mid-November.
Before Diwali night, people clean, renovate and decorate their homes and offices.[8] On Diwali night, Hindus dress up in new clothes or their best outfit, light up diyas (lamps and candles) inside and outside their home, participate in family puja (prayers) typically to Lakshmi – the goddess of wealth and prosperity. After puja, fireworks follow,[9] then a family feast including mithai (sweets), and an exchange of gifts between family members and close friends. Diwali also marks a major shopping period in nations where it is celebrated.
Diwali is an important festival for Hindus. The name of festive days as well as the rituals of Diwali vary significantly among Hindus, based on the region of India. In many parts of India,[11] the festivities start with Dhanteras, followed by Naraka Chaturdasi on second day, Diwali on the third day, Diwali Padva dedicated to wife–husband relationship on the fourth day, and festivities end with Bhau-beej dedicated to sister–brother bond on the fifth day. Dhanteras usually falls eighteen days after Dussehra.
Diwali festivities include a celebration of sights, sounds, arts and flavors. The festivities vary between different regions. Diwali is derived from the Sanskrit fusion word Dīpāvali, formed from dīpa (दीप, "light" or "lamp") and āvalī (आवली, "series, line, row"). Dīpāvali or Deepavali thus meant a "row" or "series of lights". Its celebration include millions of lights shining on housetops, outside doors and windows, around temples and other buildings in the communities and countries where it is observed.
History
Diwali dates back to ancient times in India, as a festival after the summer harvest in the Hindu calendar month of Kartika. The festival is mentioned in Sanskrit scriptures such as the Padma Purana, the Skanda Purana both completed in second half of 1st millennium AD but believed to have been expanded from a core text from an earlier era. The diyas (lamps) are mentioned in Skanda Purana to symbolically represent parts of sun, the cosmic giver of light and energy to all life, who seasonally transitions in the Hindu calendar month of Kartik. Hindus in some regions of India associate Diwali with the legend of Yama and Nachiketa on Kartika amavasya (Diwali night). The Nachiketa story about right versus wrong, transient wealth versus true wealth, ignorance versus knowledge is recorded in Katha Upanishad composed in 1st millennium BC.
King Harsha in the 7th century Sanskrit play Nagananda mentions Diwali as Deepapratipadutsava, where lamps were lit and newly engaged brides and grooms were given gifts. Rajasekhara referred to Diwali as Dipamalika in his 9th century Kavyamimamsa, wherein he mentions the tradition of homes being whitewashed and oil lamps decorating homes, streets and markets in the night. The Persian traveller and historian Al Biruni, in his 11th century memoir on India, wrote Diwali being celebrated by Hindus on New Moon day of the month of Kartika.
Significance
Diwali is one of the happiest holidays in Nepal and India with significant preparations. People clean their homes and decorate them for the festivities. Diwali is one of the biggest shopping seasons in Nepal and India; people buy new clothes for themselves and their families, as well as gifts, appliances, kitchen utensils, even expensive items such as cars and gold jewelry. People also buy gifts for family members and friends which typically include sweets, dry fruits, and seasonal specialties depending on regional harvest and customs. It is also the period when children hear ancient stories, legends, myths about battles between good and evil or light and darkness from their parents and elders. Girls and women go shopping and create rangoli and other creative patterns on floors, near doors and walkways. Youth and adults alike help with lighting and preparing for patakhe (fireworks).
There is significant variation in regional practices and rituals. Depending on the region, prayers are offered before one or more deities, with most common being Lakshmi – the goddess of wealth and prosperity. On Diwali night, fireworks light up the neighborhood skies. Later, family members and invited friends celebrate the night over food and sweets.
Spiritual significance
Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs to mark different historical events, stories or myths but they all symbolise the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, hope over despair.
The Yoga, Vedanta, and Samkhya schools of Hindu philosophy share the belief that there is something beyond the physical body and mind which is pure, infinite, and eternal, called the Atman. The celebration of Diwali as the "victory of good over evil" refers to the light of higher knowledge dispelling all ignorance, the ignorance that masks one's true nature, not as the body, but as the unchanging, infinite, immanent and transcendent reality. With this awakening comes compassion and the awareness of the oneness of all things, and knowledge overcomes ignorance. Diwali is the celebration of this inner light over spiritual darkness, knowledge over ignorance, right over wrong, good over evil.
Hinduism
Diwali is celebrated in the honour of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth.
The religious significance of Diwali varies regionally within India, depending on the school of Hindu philosophy, regional myths, legends, and beliefs.
Many see Diwali honouring the return of the god Rama, his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana from exile of 14 years, as told in the ancient Hindu epic Ramayana. To some, Diwali marks the return of Pandavas after 12 years of Vanvas and one year of agyatavas in the other ancient Hindu epic Mahabharata. Many other Hindus believe Diwali is linked to the celebration of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, and wife of the god Vishnu. The five day festival of Diwali begins on the day Lakshmi was born from the churning of cosmic ocean of milk by the gods and the demons; the night of Diwali is the day Lakshmi chose Vishnu as her husband and then married him. Along with Lakshmi, devotees make offerings to Ganesha who symbolizes ethical beginnings and fearless remover of obstacles; Saraswati who symbolizes music, literature and learning; and Kubera who symbolizes book keeping, treasury and wealth management. Other Hindus believe that Diwali is the day Vishnu came back to Lakshmi and their abode in the Vaikuntha; so those who worship Lakshmi receive the benefit of her good mood, and therefore are blessed with mental, physical and material well-being during the year ahead.
Hindus in India's eastern region, such as Odisha and West Bengal, worship the goddess Kali instead of Lakshmi, and call the festival Kali Puja. In India's Braj and north central regions, the god Krishna is recognized. People mark Mount Govardhan, and celebrate legends about Krishna. In other regions, the feast of Govardhan Puja (or Annakoot) is celebrated, with 56 or 108 different cuisines prepared, offered to Krishna, then shared and celebrated by the local community.
In West and certain Northern parts of India, the festival of Diwali marks the start of a new Hindu year.
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A note from HOS
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A note from HOS
As you may already know from my Head's Notes, four candidates for the Elementary Principal position (starting 2016-2017) will visit campus, interview, and meet community members on Monday/Tuesday, November 2-3. There will be open meet and greet coffee sessions with the candidates on Monday and Tuesday mornings before school in the ES cafeteria. There will also be an open session for parents to listen to the candidates on Monday, November 2 starting at 8:45 a.m. (BBT). Please feel free to join us.
I will take feedback on all candidates and then based on the feedback, the references, and an assessment of “right fit for the future,” the best candidate will be offered a position starting next year.
Through a fairly exhaustive search and interview process, which has included inputs from leadership, faculty, and external references, our four finalist candidates are (their dossiers are available for review on Moodle/All School/All School Communications/ESPrincipal Candidates):
Keith Collins
Keith is the Elementary School Assistant Principal at the International School of Beijing, China where he has been since 2012. He holds a Doctorate in Education degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from the Shenandoah University, Winchester, Virginia, and a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the Fairmont State University, Fairmont, West Virginia. Keith spent five years as Assistant Principal at the Yowell Elementary School, Culpeper, Virginia. Keith has also been a technology and Grade 5 teacher.
Keryn Dowling
Keryn is the Early Childhood and Lower School Curriculum/Primary Years' Program Coordinator at the Zurich International School, Switzerland, where she has been since 2011. She has a wealth of international teaching experiences from across the globe. Keryn holds a Master’s degree in Education Administration and Leadership from The College of New Jersey, USA, and Bachelor’s degrees in Education and Teaching both from Massey University, New Zealand. Keryn has also taught grades 1, 2, 4, and served as a drama teacher.
Lori Newman
Lori is not new to us. She has been the Elementary School Associate Principal at AISC since 2014. Lori has broad experiences as an international educator. Lori joined us from the American School in Japan (Tokyo) after sixteen years, where she served as the Assistant Director of Learning and elementary classroom teacher. She holds a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Calgary in Canada. Lori has also taught grades 2 and 4 in Venezuela and Japan.
Rachel Griffin
Rachel is the Head of Lower School at the Leman Manhattan Preparatory School, New York, USA where she has been since 2012. Rachel has also been an Assistant Head – Lower School and Director of School Curriculum (Lower School) at Leman and she served as the Assistant Head – Lower School at The Chapin School (NYC). She holds a Master’s degree in Education Leadership from Columbia University’s Klingenstein Center, a Master’s degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from the Bank Street College of Education, New York, and a Bachelor’s degree in French from the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts. Rachel has also taught kindergarten and grade 3.
I do hope you will be able to find some time to listen and learn about our candidates next week. It is invaluable for me to understand how individuals and various stakeholder groups perceive our candidates.
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Upcoming Events
November 3, 2015 - PCA Meeting - 8:45-9:45 - BBT
November 3, 2015 - KPA Meeting - 2:30- 3:30 - BBT
November 3, 2015 - KPA Meeting - 2:30- 3:30 - BBT
November 6, 2015 - Cooking demo at Westin
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Community Event
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Open Positions
There are still open positions on the PCA. We are looking for energetic persons whose goal is to enrich the lives of their kids through parent sponsored activities. We have open positions for Vice President on the Executive Team.If you are interested, please do give us an email at pca@aisch.org.
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali
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