Why Does Dadi Light a Diya?Coming soon
Soon
Why Does Dadi Light a Diya?
What light means, and why families light a lamp at dusk.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+
from$1.99
By collection
Why We Do That
Start with a question from everyday family life: a greeting, a meal, a name or a celebration. This shelf is a place to explore a custom while leaving room for families who do things differently.
Published: 0 · In catalogue: 277
The complete collection
Why We Do That
Start with a question from everyday family life: a greeting, a meal, a name or a celebration. This shelf is a place to explore a custom while leaving room for families who do things differently.
- Series
- 16
- Books
- 277
- Published
- 0
Included in this collection
The collection option covers the books across all series below. Digital reading and available narration are included; print is separate. Check each book page for age editions, Book/Ebook previews and language availability.
The whole collection is not yet available to purchase. The listed price is shown; release and purchase dates are not confirmed. Annual membership covers the available digital library.
Explore all included series ↓Choose your first collection
At Home With Dharma
Everyday things children see around the house.
Published: 0 · In catalogue: 16
Greetings, Respect & Family
Namaste, touching feet, Kaki, Masi, Foi and Mami.
Published: 0 · In catalogue: 13
Going to the Mandir
Shoes off, the bell, darshan, prasad, aarti.
Published: 0 · In catalogue: 19
Series · 16
What We Wear
Tilak, bindi, sari, kurta, rakhi, mehndi.
Published: 0 · In catalogue: 13
Why We Eat This
Prasad, fasting, modak, kheer, thepla for every journey.
Published: 0 · In catalogue: 18
My Indian Name & My Identity
What my name means, two languages, two homes.
Published: 0 · In catalogue: 21
Our Family
My very big Indian family.
Published: 0 · In catalogue: 14
Why We Celebrate
Why our family actually does all these things.
Published: 0 · In catalogue: 35
Weddings & Big Ceremonies
My first Indian wedding.
Published: 0 · In catalogue: 19
When a Baby Arrives
Namkaran, annaprashan, mundan.
Published: 0 · In catalogue: 12
Prayer, Mantras & Practices
The mala, Om, bhajan, seva.
Published: 0 · In catalogue: 16
Big Ideas for Little Minds
Dharma, karma, ahimsa, seva, shanti.
Published: 0 · In catalogue: 20
Nature Is Sacred
The cow, the Ganga, the peepal, and every deity's animal friend.
Published: 0 · In catalogue: 19
Growing Up Indian Abroad
British AND Indian. Christmas AND Diwali.
Published: 0 · In catalogue: 22
Ask Dadi
Aarav watches Dadi light the diya. One day he asks.
Published: 0 · In catalogue: 10
Ask Dada
Wisdom, history and the big questions.
Published: 0 · In catalogue: 10
Matching stories: 277
- Why Do We Have a Mandir at Home?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Have a Mandir at Home?
Understanding the little shrine in the corner.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Does Mum Ring the Bell?Coming soonSoonWhy Does Mum Ring the Bell?
Why a bell is rung during puja.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Burn Incense?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Burn Incense?
Smoke that rises, a room that changes.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Offer Flowers?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Offer Flowers?
Something fresh, given first.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Offer Food to Bhagwan First?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Offer Food to Bhagwan First?
Naivedya: the plate goes to the shrine before the table.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Is There Water in a Little Copper Pot?Coming soonSoonWhy Is There Water in a Little Copper Pot?
The kalash, and why water is always there.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Does Dadi Sit and Pray Every Morning?Coming soonSoonWhy Does Dadi Sit and Pray Every Morning?
A quiet start, every single day.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Say a Prayer Before Eating?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Say a Prayer Before Eating?
Thank-you before the first bite.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Fold Our Hands?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Fold Our Hands?
Anjali: two hands, one heart.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Say Om?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Say Om?
The sound before all sounds.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Walk Around the Mandir?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Walk Around the Mandir?
Pradakshina: keeping the shrine on your right.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Sit Quietly After Puja?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Sit Quietly After Puja?
A minute of stillness before the day begins.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Keep Pictures of Bhagwan?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Keep Pictures of Bhagwan?
Faces we love, on the wall.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Have a Tulsi Plant?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Have a Tulsi Plant?
A plant that gets a lamp of its own.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Is There a Svastika on the Door?Coming soonSoonWhy Is There a Svastika on the Door?
An ancient sign of good fortune, and how it is different from its misuse in twentieth-century Europe.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 7-12+from$1.99 - Why Do We Say Namaste?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Say Namaste?
The divine in me bows to the divine in you.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Does Papa Say Jai Shri Krishna?Coming soonSoonWhy Does Papa Say Jai Shri Krishna?
A greeting that is also a small prayer.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+🪈from$1.99 - Why Does Dadi Say Jai Swaminarayan?Coming soonSoonWhy Does Dadi Say Jai Swaminarayan?
Greetings differ by family and tradition; none is the only one.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Touch Elders' Feet?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Touch Elders' Feet?
Charan sparsh: asking for a blessing with your whole body.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do Elders Bless Us?Coming soonSoonWhy Do Elders Bless Us?
Ashirwad: what a hand on your head means.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Call Everyone Uncle and Aunty?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Call Everyone Uncle and Aunty?
A whole street of relatives.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Call Her Kaki, Masi, Foi and Mami?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Call Her Kaki, Masi, Foi and Mami?
Mum's sister is Masi, Dad's sister is Foi, Mum's brother is Mama, Dad's brother is Kaka.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Don't I Call My Grandparents by Their Names?Coming soonSoonWhy Don't I Call My Grandparents by Their Names?
Dadi, Dada, Nani, Nana: names that say who you are to me.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Does Dadi Feed Me Even When I'm Full?Coming soonSoonWhy Does Dadi Feed Me Even When I'm Full?
Love, measured in rotis.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Always Feed Guests?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Always Feed Guests?
Atithi devo bhava: a guest is a god.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Take Something When Visiting Someone's House?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Take Something When Visiting Someone's House?
Never arrive with empty hands.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Ask Elders for Ashirwad?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Ask Elders for Ashirwad?
Before an exam, a journey, a wedding.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Does Everyone Want Me to Eat More?Coming soonSoonWhy Does Everyone Want Me to Eat More?
A very Indian kind of caring.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - What Is a Mandir?Coming soonSoonWhat Is a Mandir?
A house where Bhagwan lives and everyone can visit.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Take Our Shoes Off?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Take Our Shoes Off?
Leaving the road outside.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Wash Our Hands Before Darshan?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Wash Our Hands Before Darshan?
Clean hands, quiet mind.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - What Is Darshan?Coming soonSoonWhat Is Darshan?
Seeing, and being seen.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Ring the Bell?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Ring the Bell?
Telling Bhagwan we have come.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Walk Clockwise?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Walk Clockwise?
Pradakshina around the shrine.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Bow Down?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Bow Down?
Pranam: making yourself small for a moment.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Put Money in the Donation Box?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Put Money in the Donation Box?
Dana: giving a little of what we have.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - What Is Prasad?Coming soonSoonWhat Is Prasad?
Food that came back from Bhagwan.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Does Everyone Share Prasad?Coming soonSoonWhy Does Everyone Share Prasad?
One sweet, many hands.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - What Is Aarti?Coming soonSoonWhat Is Aarti?
A lamp, a song, a circle of light.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Move the Aarti Flame in Circles?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Move the Aarti Flame in Circles?
Light offered to every part of the murti.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Do We Put Our Hands Over the Aarti Flame?Coming soonSoonWhy Do We Put Our Hands Over the Aarti Flame?
Bringing the light to your eyes.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Who Is the Person Doing the Puja?Coming soonSoonWho Is the Person Doing the Puja?
Meet the pujari.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - What Does a Pujari Do?Coming soonSoonWhat Does a Pujari Do?
Bathing, dressing and feeding the murti.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Are There So Many Different Murtis?Coming soonSoonWhy Are There So Many Different Murtis?
One home, many rooms.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - What Is a Murti?Coming soonSoonWhat Is a Murti?
A form we can see, for someone we cannot.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+from$1.99 - Why Does Bhagwan Have So Many Forms?Coming soonSoonWhy Does Bhagwan Have So Many Forms?
The same sun through many windows.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 7-12+from$1.99 - Why Is Ganesha's Head an Elephant's?Coming soonSoonWhy Is Ganesha's Head an Elephant's?
A question that opens the Ganesha shelf.
From the original text · Family tradition, with its sources
Ages 0-3+🐘from$1.99
Reading this collection together
- Start with one episode
- Choose the question the child actually asked, then look for a published entry. Keep the conversation short enough for another question to fit.
- What to notice
- Say ‘in our family’ when sharing your own practice. A familiar custom should not become a claim about what every Indian family does.
- A question to share
- How does someone else in the family remember this? Let two memories sit together without choosing a winner.