Happy Diwali
To help celebrate Diwali, we have been making some beautiful Rangoli patterns.
Here is a version of the story behind this beautiful festival.
This is the story of a prince called Rama, who fell in love with a beautiful princess called Sita, Rama and Sita got married. The king wanted Rama to become king but one of his wives asked that her son be made king and Rama to be sent into the forest for 14 years as an exile. The king was very sad but he had promised his wife she could have anything she wanted, so he sent Rama and Sita away.
Ramas brother Lakshman also went with them. They obediently lived in the forest for many years, then one day a golden dear ran by them and Sita asked Rama and Lakshman to catch the dear for her as it was so beautiful. Rama chased the dear but it had all been a trick to get Rama away from Sita.
When Rama did not return Lakshman went to look for him, while Sita was alone an old holy man came by, he asked Sita for somewhere to rest and have some food and drink. The holy man was really the ten headed Ravanda, who wanted to capture Sita and make her his wife. Ravanda took Sita to his castle on a remote island.
When Rama found out where Sita was he was very upset and set out to rescue her. Rama needed help and he went to Hanuman the monkey army general. Hanuman was pleased to help and he jumped over to the island and found Sita there. He told Rama where she was and then Rama went to fight Ravanda, who sent his army to fight the battle with Rama amd Hanumans army.
They fought for a long time until the only one left was Hanuman. He found some herbs to bring them all back to life, then Rama fought Ravanda and killed him with a magical spear, Rama and Sita were together again.
Now 14 years had past and the people of the kingdom were waiting for Rama to come home. A woman decided to put a small lamp in her window to light the way for Rama and Sita, other people in the villages saw this and they put lamps in their windows until everyone in the kingdom had lamps lit. The whole kingdom was glowing with light and as Rama and Sita made there way home the saw the glowing lamps and followed them home. Rama was crowned king and Sita was his queen, and everyone in the kingdom was very happy.
This video explains the legend
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCsu9W_1Ofc[/youtube]