Middle School Diwali Celebration

For Diwali this year, pure light and great joy were spread through the Middle School by a student committee that included Meara Power ’29, Ananya Balasubramanian ’28, Anisha Khot ’27, Mridini Kandala ’27, and Mia Pabley ’27. They decorated our hallways and common spaces with bright lights, colorful chalk drawings, and fresh flowers for the celebration. In Chapel, they shared many of the traditions like diyas (clay lanterns), rangoli (multi-colored patterns on the floor or tables), and sweets. They also taught us that the festival commemorates the day Lord Rama, his wife Sita, and brother Lakshmana returned to their homeland after fourteen years in exile. After Lord Rama defeated the demon king Ravana, the ten-headed demon, and freed Sita with the help of his brother and Hanuman (the monkey commander of the monkey army), they were allowed to come back. Diwali is about celebrating their return and, generally, the triumph of light over darkness - a beautiful message for everyone in our community.

Meara, a 6th grade student at Hawken, spearheaded this effort. She was inspired to ask a teacher if it would be possible to celebrate Diwali on our campus after she saw Hindu gods displayed in a classroom. Certainly, this reveals Meara’s strong sense of agency, and it also indicates that the Hawken Middle School environment is healthy and open to fostering self-expression and authentic identity. Meara and other students on the planning committee expressed a specific desire to share the true story behind the Diwali celebration, noting there had been times in their experience when some of the details were misunderstood. Their investment in providing an authentic and meaningful celebration was a gift to everyone in the community.

Weeks in advance, the student committee members met with Laurel Keenan, senior food service director at Hawken for SAGE Dining Services Inc., to discuss options and plan for a celebratory lunch. There was real excitement in the lunchroom on Monday, October 24, as students and teachers enjoyed chicken bhuna, vegetable tikka masala, aloo gobi (Indian potatoes and cauliflower) with chickpeas, steamed basmati rice, naan, and rice kheer (Indian rice pudding). This happy collaboration with the SAGE staff indicates that people are ready for the invitation to learn more about others’ lives and beliefs and to contribute their talents and abilities to deepen the feeling of belonging in the Hawken community. As Shefali Power ’91 looked around the lunchroom, she observed joyfully that Hawken has made incredible progress since her time in high school. Reflecting on Meara’s leadership and cultural pride, she shared, “I feel like Meara in middle school has a better sense of community and opportunity than I even imagined 30 years ago in high school.” 

We are all welcome to spread light and genuine understanding in the true spirit of Diwali!