Diyas at Circle Time: A Celebration of South Asian Festivals Around Diwali Time

This holiday season, discover festivals from across South Asia to join in an inclusive, multi-faith celebration!

Harini can't wait to share her family's Diwali traditions with her class. To her surprise, her friends Amrit, Dhiman, and Urvi are dressed up as well! Harini learns about other South Asian festivals-Bandi Chhor Divas, Tihar, and Jain Deepavali-and the stories behind them. Harini notices shared traditions, like lighting clay diyas and exchanging gifts, and differences as well, like making pets feel extra special. When their classmate Anna feels left out, Harini and her friends find a sweet way to include her in the celebrations.

In this revised version of the beloved picture book Let's Celebrate Diwali, educator Anjali Joshi showcases four South Asian festivals of light from Sikh, Hindu and Jain traditions in a classroom-ready story, perfect for Diwali story time.