If you are a fan of the TV show The Office, you might remember the “Diwali Song”
This is sung to the tune of Adam Sandler’s Chanukah Song
The Diwali Song
It's time to celebrate Diwali
Everybody looks so jolly
But it's not Christmas, it's Diwali
The goddess of destruction, Kali
Stopped by to celebrate Diwali
Don't invite any zombies
To our celebration of Diwali
Along came Polly
To have some fun on Diwali
If you're Indian and you love to party
Have a happy happy happy happy Diwali
Happy Diwali!
That’s right everyone, it’s Diwali! The Hindu Festival of lights! The New Year!
I have two Indian co-workers who celebrate Diwali. Last year one of them was upset that no one acknowledged their favorite holiday. She was upset that she never got home for her favorite festival and wanted to share it with the office. Thus our office Diwali celebration was initiated. Last year we ordered in, and had snacks and a few decoration. It was very pleasant. Everyone had fun… it was great. And for a moment I felt like we had helped my coworker feel like her culture and customs were appreciated and important, and relevant even here in the US.
So this year I wanted to step it up a bit. We went out for lunch and I decorated the kitchen. With great hangings swaths of fabric. And I built a (I hesitate to say shrine) but I covered the hideous desk and bulletin board. There was food, snacks, sweets, piles of food. Delicious food, food I remembered from the last year. These spicy fried wheat crackers that I love. And mini samosas filled with cashews and raisins. Syrupy sweets drenched in coconut and rose flavors. And everything looked good, and tasted good.
My coworker was shocked. And while perhaps my decorations weren’t quite proper. Maybe they didn’t fit the Indian ideal. In my defense I did the best I could with my limited knowledge of Diwali. I think I accomplished my goal. Which was to try to give her a real sense of celebration… at least in its office form.
