Latest / Kidcast Daily / Ep157: The festival of Diwali / Deepavali

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Ep157: The festival of Diwali / Deepavali · Kidcast Daily

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  Spin the wheel, let's take a ride.
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  Sports and science bursting from inside a world of wonder.
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  Open wide. Come on kids, let's amplify kid
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  cats. Daily starts yours.
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  Welcome to Kick Ass Daily, where we bring news, trivia, fun
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  facts, and more just for curious kids like you.
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  Today, we're going on an exciting journey to discover one
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  of the brightest festivals celebrated around the world,
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  Diwali, also called Deepa Valley.
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  Have you ever seen colorful lights twinkling in the night,
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  heard the crackle of fireworks, or smelled the sweet scent of
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  delicious treats? That's what Diwali is all about,
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  South. Get comfy and let's dive into
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  the sparkling world of Diwali. First, let's start with the
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  basics. Diwali or Deepa Valley means row
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  of lamps in the ancient Sanskrit language.
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  It's one of the biggest and most important festivals in India and
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  is celebrated in many other countries too.
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  Imagine a holiday that's a little bit like New Year's Eve,
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  Christmas, and the 4th of July all rolled into one.
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  It's a time for celebration, family and lots of fun.
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  Before we go on, here's a quick date to remember.
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  This year, Diwali will be celebrated tomorrow, October
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  20th. OK, what makes Diwali so
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  special? Well, the word Diwali gives us a
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  big clue. During Diwali, people light up
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  their homes with tiny oil lamps called Diaz, as well as candles,
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  lanterns, and strings of fairy lights.
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  If you've ever decorated your house for a birthday party or
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  put up lights for the holidays, you know how magical it feels.
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  Now imagine every house on your street glowing with warm,
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  flickering lights. That's what many neighborhoods
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  look like during Diwali. Why so many lights, you ask?
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  The lights are more than just decoration.
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  They're a symbol of something really important.
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  Diwali celebrates the victory of light over darkness and good
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  over evil. It's like when you turn on a
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  flashlight in a dark room and suddenly everything feels
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  brighter and safer. People believe that lighting
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  lamps helps bring happiness, hope and good luck into their
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  homes. Now, every great festival has
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  stories behind it, and Diwali has several.
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  One of the most famous comes from an old story called the
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  Ramayana. The tale says a brave Prince
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  named Rama returned to his Kingdom after a long exile and
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  many adventures, and people lit thousands of lamps to welcome
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  him back. That's why even today, people
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  light lamps during Diwali to remember the joy of Rama's
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  return and the triumph of good over evil.
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  But that's not the only story. In South India, Diwali is
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  celebrated as the day Lord Krishna defeated the demon
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  Narakisura, bringing peace and light back to the world.
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  That's why in some southern states, the festival begins
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  early in the morning with people taking oil baths, wearing new
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  clothes, bursting crackers and sharing sweets.
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  It's a celebration of Krishnas triumph over evil.
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  In other places, Diwali is connected with different
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  stories. For example, many people honor
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  the goddess Lakshmi during Diwali.
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  She's the goddess of wealth and good fortune, and families clean
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  and decorate their homes to welcome her.
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  Giants often celebrate Diwali to mark the spiritual event of
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  Mahavira's liberation, and Sikhs remember a related historic
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  event called Banditra Divas when Guru Hargabind was freed.
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  Some Buddhist communities in South Asia and Nepal have their
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  own autumn festivals around the same time.
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  So while lights, joy and togetherness are common themes,
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  the stories and meanings can vary across religions and
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  regions. Now, if you love fireworks,
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  Diwali is a festival you'd enjoy.
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  On Diwali night, the sky comes alive with bursts of color and
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  sparkles. People set off fireworks and
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  sparklers that light up the dark.
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  It's a bit like the 4th of July, but with even more colors.
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  But remember, it's important to be safe around fireworks and
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  always have an adult nearby. And what's a celebration without
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  food? During Diwali, kitchens are
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  filled with the mouth watering smells of sweets and snacks.
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  Some popular treats are ladoos, which are little round balls
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  made of flour, sugar and nuts, and jalabi, A swirly crispy
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  treat dipped in syrup. Families make these goodies at
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  home and share them with friends and neighbors.
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  It's a time for everyone to come together and spread joy.
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  Here's a fun fact, many families make and share lots of sweets
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  during Diwali, more than at most other times of the year, because
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  sharing food is a big part of the celebration.
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  Diwali isn't just celebrated in India.
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  People all over the world join in the fun.
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  In countries like Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, the
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  United Kingdom, and the United States, you'll find Diwali
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  festivals with lights, music, dancing, and delicious food.
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  Some cities hold huge public events and light displays so
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  everyone can enjoy them. One of the biggest celebrations
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  outside India happens in Leicester, England, where the
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  city center is decorated with lanterns and lights.
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  You might be wondering, do people give gifts during Diwali?
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  Absolutely. Just like you might exchange
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  presents at Christmas or Hanukkah, families and friends
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  give each other gifts during Diwali.
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  These can be sweets, toys, clothes, or small tokens of good
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  luck. Sometimes kids get new clothes
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  to wear for the festival, kind of like wearing your Sunday best
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  for a special occasion. Let's talk a little more about
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  rangoli, those colorful designs made on the ground.
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  Making rangoli is a creative and fun activity that kids and
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  grown-ups do together. They use colored powders, rice,
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  flower petals and even sand to create patterns that look like
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  flowers, stars or animals. Sometimes families have
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  competitions to see who can make the most beautiful rangoli.
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  It's a bit like sidewalk chalk art, but with even more colors
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  and shapes. Music and dancing are also a big
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  part of Diwali. People play drums, sing songs,
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  and dance to traditional music. It's a time when everyone, young
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  and old, gets together to celebrate and have fun.
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  Some families tell stories, play games, or watch special Diwali
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  shows together. It's all about spending time
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  with the people you love. Of course, Diwali also has a
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  special meaning. It's not just about lights and
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  sweets. It's a time to think about how
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  we can bring more light into the world.
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  Just like the lamps chase away darkness, Diwali reminds us to
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  be kind, helpful, and positive people.
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  Try to forgive old arguments, help those in need, and start
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  fresh for the new year. It's a time for making good
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  choices and spreading happiness. And Speaking of spreading
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  happiness, many people use Diwali as a chance to do good
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  deeds. They give food, clothes, or
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  gifts to people who need them or help out in their communities.
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  It's a wonderful way to share the joy of the festival and make
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  the world a brighter place for everyone.
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  Before we wrap up, here's one last amazing fact.
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  In recent years, the city of Ayodhya in India held enormous
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  deep itself celebrations where millions of Dias were lit along
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  the riverbanks, an incredible and very bright sight.
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  Let's do a quick recap of what we've learned today.
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  Diwali, or Deepa Valley is the festival of light celebrated by
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  millions around the world. It's about lighting lamps,
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  decorating homes, making colorful rangoli, sharing sweets
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  and gifts, and spending time with family and friends.
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  The festival celebrates the victory of good over evil and
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  light over darkness, and people from different religions
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  celebrate related traditions with their own stories and
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  meanings. Diwali is a time for joy,
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  kindness, and new beginnings. So next time you see twinkling
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  lights or smell something sweet in the air, you'll know a little
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  more about the wonderful festival of Diwali.
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  Maybe you can even try making your own rangoli or sharing a
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  treat with a friend to spread some light and happiness.
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  Thanks for joining us on Kid Cast Daily.
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  Keep asking questions, keep exploring, and remember you can
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  bring light to the world every day just by being you.
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  Before we go, wishing all our listeners a very happy Diwali.
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  Enjoy the lights, the treats, and stay safe.
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  Grab your breakfast. Feeling fine?
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  Adventures waiting? Don't be late, Today's the day
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  we celebrate. Kid Cast Daily starts your day.