Kavya explores cultures

Kavya was having an evening walk with her grandfather in the garden. While walking, they were talking about the Diwali celebration that they had recently. Kavya said that she had really enjoyed this Diwali as all of her cousins and family came and celebrated together. While talking, Kavya curiously asked her grandfather, “Grandpa, why do we celebrate Diwali?” Her grandfather replied, “We celebrate Diwali because it is the start of a new year, and so we pray to God for prosperity and wealth.” 

As they continued walking, Kavya’s grandfather got a call. It was by Mr. Fredrick, a good friend of his who had called to invite him to the Christmas party. Grandfather asked Kavya, “Fredrick has invited us to the Christmas party at his home, would you like to go?” Kavya instantly replied, “Christmas party, yes!” 

Kavya, along with her parents and grandfather went to the party. It was a first-time experience for her. As she entered, she saw that the entire house was decorated with bells and ribbons. She saw that in the centre there was a Christmas tree which was also decorated with lots of bells, lights, ribbons, and presents were kept below it. Mr. Frederick came to greet Kavya and her family and said, “Merry Christmas to all”. Kavya and her family also greeted Mr. Frederick and went to sit among others. 

Kavya was sitting with her grandfather when Mr. Frederick came to talk with them. Kavya asked Mr. Frederick, “Why is Christmas celebrated?” Mr. Frederick said, “For us Christians, it is our new year, hence it is a moment of celebration for all of us.” To this, her grandfather added, “Just like we celebrate Diwali, Mr.Fredrick and his family celebrate Christmas. The way we celebrate might be different because of our cultures, but the notion of celebration remains the same”. Kavya understood that people from different cultures have festivals based on similar ideas, just that they celebrate them in their unique ways. She enjoyed the Christmas party a lot and also received various gifts. Later in life, she developed a sense of admiration for the diversity among people because of what she learned.

What do we learn from this story

If we learn about different cultures, we find the common message of love, peace, and non-violence that they all propagate in their own unique manner. Having appropriate cultural knowledge is essential for us to prosper.