Harshini Brahmavar
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Oct 21: Every festival Indians celebrate comes with its its own flavour and significance. Deepavali, our festival of lights, which is celebrated all over India, has spread its fragrance all over the world, and is celebrated by people of other countries too. It also has its own history and importance. Deepavali happens to be one of the most colourful, endearing, and sacred festivals celebrated by Hindus. Mythologically it entails celebration on the occasion of return of Lord Rama to his kingdom, Ayodhya, after 14 years of exile, and after annihilating demons and rescuing his wife.

This festival comes about twenty days after Dussehra, when winter is about to set in. The festival provides an opportunity to wear new clothes, meet friends and relatives, distribute sweets, decorate houses and surroundings with tasteful Diyas. It signifies positiveness towards the future and invites everyone to enjoy in an air of exuberance, forgetting any downhill journey they may be experiencing in their own lives at the time.

Deepavali symbolizes triumph of good over the evil. Diyas are lit to dispel darkness of ignorance with the light of enlightenment and knowledge.

Bursting of crackers has been an integral part of this festival. Young and old alike find it a fun to burst crackers but there are occasions when they inflict tragedy. At night, Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, is worshipped in the form of earthen images, silver and gold coins, ornaments, etc.

A time has come for us to rethink about the entire gamut of this festival. It it not an opportune time for us to celebrate this festival by keeping pollution at bay? Everyone knows that global warming has been posing danger to the existence of human beings, and pollution and chemicals can cause the situation to worsen. They also pose several health hazards apart from exposing the concerned to the risk of suffering grave injuries, loss of eyesight, and sometimes even causing death.

Crackers many a time are manufactured by forcing children to work in factories. They are hazardous in nature, and pollute the climate, besides spreading litter everywhere they are used, in addition to resulting in huge expenses. Not using crackers does not harm anyone, and on the other hand, improves quality of our surroundings. Why use them and hurt the entire planet including ourselves?

Are we, in the name of Festival of Lights, transforming Deepavali into a festival of pollution and destruction by grossly neglecting core issues that are serious, which cry for our immediate attention? Are we engaging in using crackers excessively to showcase our affluence, as a measure of competition with neighbours, and to assert our statuses? We see people frittering away thousands, sometimes, even lacs of rupees, to fire their own sense of ego.

It is time for us to prudently think whether we are keeping date with the world that is getting more educated and civilized, by indulging in meaningless expenditure to create garbage and destroy our climate.

Of course, it is not a big challenge to meet. Although bursting of crackers may give joy to many, is it is not our responsibility to consider the reality and modify our line of thinking? Can we not pledge to use only carbon-free, noiseless crackers which do not harm us and the environment? The cost of crackers is shooting up with each passing year, and what we get by burning them is ash and chemical pollution.

Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu is known for factories engaged in production of firecrackers and matches, which account for 70 percent of the country's produce. The total annual turnover is around 20 billion (US$320 million). Of late, Chinese crackers have flooded our markets, siphoning off our precious foreign exchange. This is just one example.

Governments should take the issue very seriously and enforce stringent laws on production, sales, use, advertisement, etc, besides making a bid to spread the idea of not using crackers.
Be smart, be civilized, use your knowledge and thinking power, stop a while and think of others and try to celebrate without burning crackers.

With these thoughts, we wish you all a happy Deepavali. Celebrate Deepavali and all the other festivals in eco-friendly way without using crackers and other pollutants. Share this message with others, and contribute towards a safer, healthier earth.