The enthusiasm by which we celebrate festivals in India is something to be seen to believe! Festivals are to Indian culture what spices are to Indian cuisine, the most important forms of celebrations!
Diwali is undoubtedly one of the most famous festivals in India. Celebrated pan India, the festival of lights has several significances for diverse cultures in the country. However, everybody comes together to light up diyas and celebrate the festival of lights in unison. It is quite a spectacle. Happiest thing about Diwali is it is generally celebrated during late October or early November during which the entire country started experiencing good weather.
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In the ‘60s, when we were in middle school level, getting a new dress was a dream and the dream gets fulfilled only once in a year – that is for Diwali! I still remember the unending discussions among siblings and friends about their getting a new attire during Diwali period. No prior planning or prior info about when Diwali shopping will happen, as Diwali shopping was at the convenience of the head of the family. The head of the family used to buy cloth (no ready to wear during those time!) of his choice for the entire family! Then one day, the tailor would be called to our residence or we would go to the tailor’s place to give measurements in front of elders who will repeatedly instruct tailor to stitch one size above so that we can wear our outfit for longer.
The frightened tailor would keep extra one size and on Diwali day we all would wear shirts like Kurtas and trousers like 3 fourths! Same austerity measures will be followed in buying crackers too. Kids spent hours to get to know about the special latest crackers for every Diwali, only to settle with limited, inexpensive old varieties! The biggest consolation for kids was home-made exotic delicious sweets and savories.
Though things have improved over time, still overall per capita consumption of India is way below in comparison with Western countries. Yes, fortunately we are yet to catch up with those senseless consuming maniacs and hence can be proud in helping planet earth by not splurging into bulk and frequent buying of electronics or garments and thereby dumping huge chunk of used oldies.
Major cause of global warming is due to use of fossil fuel for power consumption. And per capita power consumption of India is far below (less than half) than that of US or other western countries and so we can be comparatively less guilty in aiding global warming! And for sure the trend will never get worsened as we already started discussing, debating and accepting to help reduce global warming.
For generations Indians are taught not to waste anything and to conserve all resources. Such practices which might have started as a value system of Indian culture thrived subsequently – may be due to poor economics and now it is an Indian habit. Let us continue the good habit of not wasting any resources and be the role models to world.
