The culture of India and one of its most celebrated holidays, Diwali, were shared with Sycamore Rotarians this week by Dr. Sakshi Sata.  Dr. Sata, an optometrist with SPEX Expressions, has studied and practiced the rich customs of her native land even though she has grown up in the United States since coming here as a young child.  She pointed out that India is a melting pot of cultures with about 2,000 identifiable ethnic groups and 22 languages spoken.  Sata said India is also a land of many festivals and specifically highlighted Diwali, commonly called the Festival of Lights.

 

Diwali is celebrated worldwide by several different religions but all centered around festival type gatherings with food and family as the centerpiece of events.  Diwali is held based on lunar alignments, not a specific date, but always occurs in the October-November time period.  Sata said festivals last for five days and represent light over darkness and good over evil.  Many of these festivals include wearing traditional ceremonial clothing, fireworks, and also involve special sweet desserts.  Dr. Sata brought dessert samples of London Chocolate and Kaju Katri (a candy made with a cashews mixed with milk and sugar).  Traditionally, a Diwali celebration is recognized at the White House with the lighting of an oil lamp.

November 10, 1483 – German Theologian and Reformation founder Martin Luther is born.  He begins a new religious movement after posting his 95 Thesis originally meant to reform the Catholic Church.

 

November 12, 1929 – Grace Kelly, award-winning actress who left Hollywood to marry Prince Ranier of Monaco, is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

 

November 13, 1850 – Famed Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson is born in Edinburgh.

 

November 14, 1815 – American inventor and engineer Robert Fulton, who developed the first commercial steamboat, is born in Little Britain, Pennsylvania.

November 10, 1871 – Explorer Henry M. Stanley found missionary David Livingston at Ujiri, Africa.  Livingston had been missing for two years.

 

November 11, 1918 – The Armistice ending World War I takes affect at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in Germany.  Before it ends, the global conflict involves more than 70 million military personnel and leads to 8.5 million combatant deaths and is blamed for 13 million civilian deaths.  

 

November 14, 1856 – American Gail Borden is issued a patent for technology related to his invention of condensed milk.  His invention was particularly crucial during the Civil War, providing a reliable source of milk to Union troops.

 

November 15, 1881 – The Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions of the United States and Canada is formed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Five years later it is renamed the American Federation of Labor (AFL).