For many weeks we have looked at the culture of India. Did you know that our friends Divit and Meesha are from the country of India? Divit has even been to the TAJ MAHAL! We can't believe it!

Miss Heather shows her sari. She traveled to India last summer.

John measures the sari with the red and blue rods.

We celebrated Diwali. Diwali is a Hindu holiday, the festival of lights. It occurs after the monsoon rains have passed, after the harvest. Some people decorate their doorsteps with beautiful designs made of sand or flour called rangoli. The children made rangoli from colored sand and placed it at the door.

We lit diyas (lanterns) and spread tissue paper flower petals on a table. We stood up our beautiful statue of Ganesh. The girls tried on bangles and scarves from India and the boys wore beautifully adorned vests. We listened to Indian music and danced. Then we ate sweets made of milk called rasgulla and fennel seed candy. It was quite the celebration.

We read a story called one grain of rice about a raja who kept all the people's rice for himself even in time of famine and a clever girl who asked him for one grain of rice. Each day after she would get double the rice as the day before. So, we have been doing lots of golden bead work, doubling the numbers. We have a bag of rice and we have been counting her rice into a jar. Today is day ten and we did the equation 256 times 2... 512 grains of rice!

The children have also enjoyed learning some yoga poses. We learned that yoga is an ancient science. We have talked about peacefulness, respect and self-discipline. We have been practicing the beginning poses of the sun salutation. First, tada-asana (mountain pose). Then urdhva hasta-asana (raised arm pose), then uttana-asana (intense stretch pose).

We have been smelling and grating the spices of Indian cuisine: turmeric, cardamamom, coriander, cinnamon, cumin, cayenne, ginger.

We cooked an Indian meal. We soaked out chickpeas overnight. Then, we fried onion and tomato and added many spices and our chickpeas. Our finished dish was called Chana Masala. We cooked basmati rice (smells like popcorn). We feasted.

Kindergarten children each had a turn to take a camera home, and take photos of their home lives. We are making a book with these pictures for Tanuj, an Indian boy that Miss Heather is acquainted with. Our homes are very different than his. We wonder: What will he think of us?