Today Mountain class (Years 1 and 2) are having an ‘Indian School Day’ to round off their topic work on India. Children and teachers have come to school in Indian clothing and have been decorating their hands with mendi patterns. The children have also been doing some yoga and practising a Bollywood dance routine (which they will perform in at a special puja on 6^th June). The class prepared rice and dhal as a hot lunch for the rest of the school and had mango lassis with Indian snacks at snack time!

This week staff, pupils and parents at the Dharma Primary School have been celebrating Wesak, the most important of the Buddhist festivals. Wesak is celebrated during the week of the first full moon in May and celebrates the Buddha’s birthday, his enlightenment and death.

This morning the school held a special puja (school assembly) and children read aloud the story of the Buddha’s birth and sang songs of celebration. Throughout the day pupils created a mandala in the playground. Once it was completed, we all took part in a walking meditation, then held hands around the mandala and asked for blessings on our school. (A mandala is a spiritual symbol in Buddhism which represents the universe; it can be used to create a sacred space and to aid meditation).

We have also begun decorating a special ‘Wishing Tree’ in the grounds, with our hopes, prayers and wishes for a more peaceful and compassionate world. We have attached Buddhist prayer flags to the tree and also pieces of paper with written wishes on. (Traditionally Buddhist prayer flags are hung up to bless the surrounding space and to carry good will and compassion on the wind to world beyond).