Delta Secondary is once again celebrating Diwali.
Today is Diwali, which is popularly known as the festival of lights, and students at the Ladner high school are hosting events every day this week to celebrate.
Teacher Jassi Khara started the school's Bhangra Club in 2004 and that year, she said, students in the club wanted to do something to celebrate Diwali.
The first events at the school took place over only a couple of days and included hot chocolate and Indian sweets and performances by the Bhangra Club. (Bhangra is a style of folk dance.)
Over the years, the events have grown to include the entire week.
The festivities started yesterday with free hot chocolate and sweets for students and staff, as well as henna art and music.
Today students will participate in divaay painting and decorating (divaay are small clay oil lamps), Thursday is the annual samosa sale and Friday is the Festival of Lights concert.
The concert runs during the school's lunch hour (11 a.m. to noon) and includes several acts - Khara described it more as a school talent show - and door prizes.
Khara said she describes Diwali as a combination of Thanksgiving, Halloween and Christmas. She said it's a time to give thanks to friends and family, to celebrate with firecrackers and candy for children, and a time to focus on light and peace in the world.
