Diwali - The Festival of Lights
This article will take approximately 2 minutes to read
Published 20 Oct 2025 in Colleagues
Happy Diwali! A time for joy, reflection, and new beginnings -we celebrate the rich traditions of our colleagues, from Diwali to Bandi Chorr Diwas, embracing gratitude, joy, and togetherness.
Today is Diwali, the Festival of Lights, a time to celebrate joy, hope, and new beginnings. We’d like to take a moment to recognise and celebrate our colleagues who observe this special occasion. Diwali is all about the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and wisdom over ignorance. It’s also a time for reflection, gratitude, and connection with loved ones.
Our Diwali story – Ramz Sandhu & Shareena Sandhu - HR
In our household, where we live with our in-laws, we celebrate the festival of Bandi Chorr Diwas as this is to commemorate the day that the 6th Guru, Hargobind Sahib was released from prison.
The day celebrates freedom, human rights, and justice and just so happens that it falls on the same day, where the Hindu Faith celebrates Diwali.
On this day, Guru HargobindJi refused to be released from prison, unless they released the 52 Hindu prisoners, in which he created a special robe with 52 tassels to ensure all were released.
A usual day of celebrating would look like a trip to the temple where we remember the sacrifices that the Guru’s have made, followed by a feast of food, such as pakora’s, samosa’s, spring rolls and most importantly, not forgetting the sweet pudding such as Kheer which is a sweet Indian rice pudding.
We also take this day to light our candles in our homes.
What is Diwali & why is it celebrated?
What is Diwali?
Diwali is a major Hindu festival, It marks the return of Lord Rama to his hometown Ayodhya after defeating the demon king Ravana. People light up lamps known as diyas to welcome him home, symbolising the victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. It’s also a time of new beginnings and ties in with harvest and new year celebrations.
Why is Diwali celebrated?
Diwali means different things to different communities:
- Hindus celebrate the return of Rama and his wife Sita to Ayodhya after a 14- year exile, and honours Mother Goddess Durga victory over the demon Mahisha.
- Sikhs mark the release of the sixth Guru Hargobind Ji from Prison in 1619 and is known as Bandi Chhor Divas.
- In Jainism, it marks the moment Lord Mahavira attained Moksha (liberation) also known as nirvana or eternal bliss.
- Newer Buddhists in Nepal celebrate the festival to honour Goddess Lakshmi.
So, it’s a festival with rich and varied meanings across cultures!
What can we learn from Diwali?
Diwali isn’t just about lights and sweets, it’s packed with meaningful lessons:
- Strengthening bonds and relationships
- Embracing your inner light
- Practising gratitude
- Finding joy in giving
- Balancing spiritual and material life
- Forgiveness
- Staying true to your values
Celebrating at work with colleagues
Supporting colleagues who celebrate Diwali is a great way to build connections and learn something new. Here are a few ideas of how you can celebrate with your colleagues:
- Try traditional Diwali foods
- Ask questions and share experiences
- Decorate lamps or create rangoli together
- Play games such as Tambola or musical chairs
- Join in charity activities
- Exchange small gifts
- Host a Diwali-themed quiz
Wishing You a Bright and Joyful Diwali
To everyone celebrating today - Happy Diwali!
May this day bring peace, prosperity, and positivity into your life. And to all our colleagues, thank you for embracing the spirit of inclusion and curiosity. Celebrating together and learning from one another is what makes our workplace truly special.