Dev and the Diwali Rangoli

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Swap in your pet name or a favorite stuffed animal name.

Story

On Diwali morning, Dadi set five little bowls on the doorstep. Pink, yellow, green, blue and snowy white. "What are they for?" asked Dev. "For a rangoli," said Dadi. "A picture made of colors, right by our door. It says welcome to everyone who comes."

Dadi drew a big round flower with little white dots. Dev took a pinch of pink. He rubbed his fingers, slow and careful, and the color trickled down like sand. Sprinkle, sprinkle. One pink petal! Then another.

Yellow went in the middle. Green made the leaves. Blue dots went all around, like a necklace. Dev sat back on his heels. "Our welcome flower!" "Beautiful," said Dadi. "Now let's wash our hands and fetch the marigolds."

But when they came back… pat, pat, pat. A trail of little paw prints went right across the flower, smudging pink into yellow. And there on the step sat Billu the cat, shaking one pink paw. "Billu!" cried Dev. "You spoiled our rangoli!" His chin began to wobble.

Dadi knelt and looked very closely. "Hmm. What does a rangoli say?" "Welcome," sniffed Dev. "And who came to our door first today?" Dev looked at Billu. A tiny smile came. Dadi gave him a pinch of white. Dev dotted little petals around one paw print, and it turned into a tiny flower! Then he did the next one, and the next.

That evening, little lights twinkled around the door, and cousins came with sweets and hugs. "What a rangoli!" said Aunty. "And what is this trail of tiny flowers?" Dev grinned. "That's Billu's path. He was our very first guest!" From the doorway, Billu blinked slowly, as if to say, Happy Diwali.

Scenes

Little Bowls of Color

On Diwali morning, Dadi set five little bowls on the doorstep. Pink, yellow, green, blue and snowy white. "What are they for?" asked Dev. "For a rangoli," said Dadi. "A picture made of colors, right by our door. It says welcome to everyone who comes."

Pinch and Sprinkle

Dadi drew a big round flower with little white dots. Dev took a pinch of pink. He rubbed his fingers, slow and careful, and the color trickled down like sand. Sprinkle, sprinkle. One pink petal! Then another.

Our Welcome Flower

Yellow went in the middle. Green made the leaves. Blue dots went all around, like a necklace. Dev sat back on his heels. "Our welcome flower!" "Beautiful," said Dadi. "Now let's wash our hands and fetch the marigolds."

Paw Prints!

But when they came back… pat, pat, pat. A trail of little paw prints went right across the flower, smudging pink into yellow. And there on the step sat Billu the cat, shaking one pink paw. "Billu!" cried Dev. "You spoiled our rangoli!" His chin began to wobble.

Dadi's Idea

Dadi knelt and looked very closely. "Hmm. What does a rangoli say?" "Welcome," sniffed Dev. "And who came to our door first today?" Dev looked at Billu. A tiny smile came. Dadi gave him a pinch of white. Dev dotted little petals around one paw print, and it turned into a tiny flower! Then he did the next one, and the next.

Billu's Path

That evening, little lights twinkled around the door, and cousins came with sweets and hugs. "What a rangoli!" said Aunty. "And what is this trail of tiny flowers?" Dev grinned. "That's Billu's path. He was our very first guest!" From the doorway, Billu blinked slowly, as if to say, Happy Diwali.

Read-aloud note

Swap in your pet name or a favorite stuffed animal name.