21/11/2023

Inclusion & Belonging committee

Diwali celebrations at The Kite Factory

At The Kite Factory, we aspire to grow and diversify by staying committed to our culture of inclusivity. Our brilliant Inclusion & Belonging committee aims to make sure that everyone in the agency feels comfortable sharing and celebrating the things that mean a lot to them with their colleagues. This month, the committee supported by some other TKF folks hosted the agency’s Diwali celebrations.

What is Diwali?

Diwali, the festival celebrated by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs worldwide, is a five-day-long occasion that begins on the 13th day of the dark half of the Lunar month and extends to the 2nd day of the light half. It’s a joyous time that unites families and friends, fostering togetherness through activities such as preparing delicious meals and shopping for loved ones.

The festival brings family and friends together; it’s a time when youngsters seek blessings from their elders for success, and families often travel from afar to be with their loved ones. It’s a time for everyone to come together, share good food, and have fun.

For this year’s celebrations, committee member Dvarkesh, alongside Herita who recently joined the agency, brought everyone together for an insightful presentation explaining the story and meaning of Diwali. They also hosted the Aarti Puja prayer ceremony, seeking blessings for the agency and its employees’ prosperity, success, and well-being.

Then, it was time for everyone to get creative! Herita ran a brilliant Indian painting workshop, Rangoli, meaning rows of colours that are drawn and filled with colours during Diwali.

We continued the evening and celebrated together, eating prasad (blessed food), considered auspicious and shared as a symbol of communal well-being.

It was lovely that Herita wanted to celebrate Diwali with the committee’s support. For her, this is the first year she is teaching her daughter how to Rangoli, so she felt it would also be a great opportunity for the agency to learn something new.

For Dvarkesh, he was keen to organise and host Diwali celebrations once again. Having fond memories of celebrating Diwali at school and at family workplaces with friends and colleagues, it meant a lot to him to continue this tradition at The Kite Factory.