The great Indian Festival
Pinky and her friends are excited to celebrate a big festival in their South Indian town. But when a disagreement arises and threatens their fun, they must learn the value of tolerance to keep the festivities alive.
Pinky was excited. Her mom gave her the permission to stay up till late because it was a school holiday the next day. "It's a festival tomorrow, Pinky," mamma said. "We'll celebrate it together." Next morning mamma had picked a new outfit for Pinky. Excited she got dressed as her mamma explained to her what the festival of Diwali entails. After finishing the pooja and eating a yummy festive lunch, Pinky went down to play with her friends Zara, Arjun and Paul.
Excited she got dressed as her mamma explained to her what the festival of Diwali entails. After finishing the pooja and eating a yummy festive lunch, Pinky went down to play with her friends Zara, Arjun and Paul. "That's a lovely dress Pinky," Zara said as Pinky twirled around to show her new dress to her friends. Buzzing with excitement Pinky handed over the yummy Diwali sweets to her friends who gobbled it up in no time. Then they all sat down to paint diyas and lanterns using their favourite colors and put them up decorating the houses and their street. Soon it was bedtime and they all went home. "I love festivals mamma," Pinky said while reading her bedtime story.
After a few weeks, Pinky's teacher told her that she had a school holiday next day. "Is it a festival again, Papa?" she asked her father during school pick-up. "Yes, Pinky. You know everything, don't you?," he chuckled. "Will we light lanterns and diyas again tomorrow," she asked with a twinkle in her eye. "No Pinky. It's not Diwali. It's Eid and we can celebrate it with Zara's family," he said. Next day Pinky, Arjun and Paul reached Zara's house. Zara was dressed in a beautiful pink anarkali suit. Her house was decorated with flowers and the kids could smell yummy treats being cooked in the house.
Zara saw her friends, ran to them and hugged each one of them saying "Eid Mubarak." "Eid Mubarak," they all exclaimed. The kids then filled up on the sweet Kheer and delicacies. Zara parent's then handed over Eidi money to the kids. With their tummies and pockets filled they returned back home. "I really love festivals, Papa," said Zara lying on her bed tired from all the eating and jumping around. After a few days when it was a school holiday again, Pinky exclaimed "I know. I know it's a festival."
"Will we get Eidi money and kheer again mamma," Pinky asked excited. "It's not Eid Pinky. It's Onam, a festival celebrated joyously in Kerala where Arjun's grandparents live." Pinky and her friends reached Arjun's house next morning. They made colorful Pookalam's using red, purple, pink and yellow flowers. They were then treated to yummy meal where they gobbled up the bananas and payasam on a banana leaf. "Festivals are the best Papa. I wonder when is the next one," said Pinky.
The next school holiday came soon enough. "What festival is it tomorrow Papa. Can we make Pookalam again?" "It's Christmas, Pinky. I think there is going to be a surprise for you at Paul's house." The kids woke up excited and reached Paul's house to find the gifts that Santa had dropped for them. Later in the day they decorated the Christmas tree, sang Carols and had some warm cake. "I love Christmas, and Eid and Onam and Diwali," they all echoed. "When is the next festival?" "You will need to wait for a long time now," said Paul's parents. "But soon we can celebrate the new years."
But the kids had something else in mind. On the first day of the new year, the kids invited their parents outside the house to the common area. The parents were surprised to see the decorations and a large banner that said INDIA festival. "We like all the festivals. So we want to celebrate all of them together," said Arjun. "Yes we want Eidi money and make Pookalams and make lanterns and also sing Christmas Carols," said Zara.
The parents were thrilled to see their kids come with such a creative idea. Pinky distributed cake to everyone. Zara coloured the lanterns and diyas. Arjun started singing the carols and everyone joined in. Paul and Pinky made Pookalams, while Zara and Arjun hung up the lanterns. Then they all ate the yummy food, danced, sang played games and had a wonderful time. "Let's celebrate India festival every year on new year's," the parents decided. "Yay. We love the festivals," they all said.
Pinky was excited. Her mom gave her the permission to stay up till late because it was a school holiday the next day. "It's a festival tomorrow, Pinky," mamma said. "We'll celebrate it together." Next morning mamma had picked a new outfit for Pinky. Excited she got dressed as her mamma explained to her what the festival of Diwali entails. After finishing the pooja and eating a yummy festive lunch, Pinky went down to play with her friends Zara, Arjun and Paul.
Excited she got dressed as her mamma explained to her what the festival of Diwali entails. After finishing the pooja and eating a yummy festive lunch, Pinky went down to play with her friends Zara, Arjun and Paul. "That's a lovely dress Pinky," Zara said as Pinky twirled around to show her new dress to her friends. Buzzing with excitement Pinky handed over the yummy Diwali sweets to her friends who gobbled it up in no time. Then they all sat down to paint diyas and lanterns using their favourite colors and put them up decorating the houses and their street. Soon it was bedtime and they all went home. "I love festivals mamma," Pinky said while reading her bedtime story.
After a few weeks, Pinky's teacher told her that she had a school holiday next day. "Is it a festival again, Papa?" she asked her father during school pick-up. "Yes, Pinky. You know everything, don't you?," he chuckled. "Will we light lanterns and diyas again tomorrow," she asked with a twinkle in her eye. "No Pinky. It's not Diwali. It's Eid and we can celebrate it with Zara's family," he said. Next day Pinky, Arjun and Paul reached Zara's house. Zara was dressed in a beautiful pink anarkali suit. Her house was decorated with flowers and the kids could smell yummy treats being cooked in the house.
Zara saw her friends, ran to them and hugged each one of them saying "Eid Mubarak." "Eid Mubarak," they all exclaimed. The kids then filled up on the sweet Kheer and delicacies. Zara parent's then handed over Eidi money to the kids. With their tummies and pockets filled they returned back home. "I really love festivals, Papa," said Zara lying on her bed tired from all the eating and jumping around. After a few days when it was a school holiday again, Pinky exclaimed "I know. I know it's a festival."
"Will we get Eidi money and kheer again mamma," Pinky asked excited. "It's not Eid Pinky. It's Onam, a festival celebrated joyously in Kerala where Arjun's grandparents live." Pinky and her friends reached Arjun's house next morning. They made colorful Pookalam's using red, purple, pink and yellow flowers. They were then treated to yummy meal where they gobbled up the bananas and payasam on a banana leaf. "Festivals are the best Papa. I wonder when is the next one," said Pinky.
The next school holiday came soon enough. "What festival is it tomorrow Papa. Can we make Pookalam again?" "It's Christmas, Pinky. I think there is going to be a surprise for you at Paul's house." The kids woke up excited and reached Paul's house to find the gifts that Santa had dropped for them. Later in the day they decorated the Christmas tree, sang Carols and had some warm cake. "I love Christmas, and Eid and Onam and Diwali," they all echoed. "When is the next festival?" "You will need to wait for a long time now," said Paul's parents. "But soon we can celebrate the new years."
But the kids had something else in mind. On the first day of the new year, the kids invited their parents outside the house to the common area. The parents were surprised to see the decorations and a large banner that said INDIA festival. "We like all the festivals. So we want to celebrate all of them together," said Arjun. "Yes we want Eidi money and make Pookalams and make lanterns and also sing Christmas Carols," said Zara.
The parents were thrilled to see their kids come with such a creative idea. Pinky distributed cake to everyone. Zara coloured the lanterns and diyas. Arjun started singing the carols and everyone joined in. Paul and Pinky made Pookalams, while Zara and Arjun hung up the lanterns. Then they all ate the yummy food, danced, sang played games and had a wonderful time. "Let's celebrate India festival every year on new year's," the parents decided. "Yay. We love the festivals," they all said.
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