Did you smell something amazing coming from room 102 last Thursday? Maybe you wondered why so many people were eager to visit that hallway during lunch and activity period. Then again, maybe you already knew about the Unity Club’s annual celebration of Diwali. No? Read on, fellow Cavo!
Organized by Mrs. Norato, Mr. Deo, Mrs. Rehak, and the Unity Club’s officers, this year’s Diwali Celebration was definitely a delicious success! Ask any of the many attendees who were lured by its scents and sounds, and they’ll tell you it was a very positive experience.
According to Norato, the mouthwatering buffet included, “Vegetable Biryani, paneer (Indian cheese sautéed with onions and peppers and made in a creamy tomato sauce), naan – (garlic, butter, cheese), samosas, and mango lassi”.
Ordered from Bombay Hut in Waldwick, NJ, and served by Unity Club members, each morsel brought a smile, and sometimes a question to students’ lips. “What is this?”
JulietteRose Connolly enjoyed the mango lassi and loved the “very mango-ey” flavor. Declan Bahng enjoyed the mango lassi as well. Samanya Panda and Anaya Modi both enjoyed the paneer. One 7th grader noted they were surprised that food was available, as it’s never been done in Villano.
Norato explained, “The Unity Club hosts various cultural events throughout the year and encourages the entire school community to participate. This is one of the most popular events, since it’s a chance to eat free food! We are looking forward to hosting a Holi Festival, the Festival of Colors, in the spring that includes food and throwing vibrant colored powders. We will also be hosting a bake sale this winter to celebrate winter holidays.”
It’s so crucial to learn about other cultures, and what better way than through FOOD?
Along with a feast, music, and colorful decorations, the Unity Club also provided flyers with information explaining the origin story of this religious festival. Diwali, from the Sanskrit word “deepavali” or “row of lamps”, is a five-day festival celebrated every autumn between October and November. Its center celebration takes place on the third day.
The flyer reads, “It is a festival that commemorates the victorious return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after saving his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana”. It’s celebrated with lighting lamps and fireworks, and represents the age-old trope of “the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness”.
According to CNN.com’s Harmeet Kaur, “Diwali is largely observed by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists, but much like Christmas, the holiday transcends religion and is now celebrated by many people outside those traditions.”
Mr. Deodharrie (or “Deo” as he’s known) added, “I think the spirit behind these events is to effectuate DEI and create a more knowledgeable and tolerant school community.”
He emphasized, “You are not making fun of another culture by celebrating Diwali. We are all members of the human family and Diwali is for all of us!”
Learning about other people and their traditions makes our world that much smaller, and what better way to bring people closer together than to break bread, um, tear naan?
