Celebration of Hindu Festivals

The OCHS always host the celebration of festivals which fall during term time, often including Ramnavami, Shivratri, and Diwali. Especially Diwali is an important event for all Hindus that gather numerous of Hindu and Jain students from all over the University at the OCHS to celebrate. 

Diwali is indeed India’s biggest and most important holiday of the year. The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa)  that Indians light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness. Diwali can therefore be translated to ‘the festival of lights’. This festival is as important to Hindus as the Christmas holiday is to Christians. It is a festival which is normally celebrated with family and friends which makes it all the more important for the OCHS to be able to invite students far from home to celebrate and have a lovely time with other Hindus and Jains. 

In 2018 OCHS, celebrated Diwali at the OCHS with over 130 students and held a Holi aarti at the Centre in February and in 2019 we celebrated Diwali at St Edmunds Hall.