17 Oct 2017  |   06:29am IST

This Diwali, let’s burst with emotion instead

With the Supreme Court implementing a ban on Delhi celebrating Diwali with firecrackers, Café looks closer to home and questions how Diwali could be otherwise celebrated, and whether crackers are even necessary

Fernando Monte da Silva

Diwali is a symbolic representation of the return

of Rama and Sita to Ayodhya. Conventionally, people would light lamps in the streets and in homes to symbolise the victory of light over darkness or good over evil. In more recent years though, there is an increasing demand for fireworks and crackers, which no doubt have their critics, especially when it comes to pollution in terms of air and sound. With the air in New Delhi being among the most polluted of any city in the world, India’s highest court has taken the initiative to curb matters at least on its own turf, and has ordered a temporary ban on firecracker sales during Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. The court order has angered many people as they prepare for Diwali, which starts October 19, with some claiming that the order prevents them from taking part in a local tradition: the lighting of fireworks. However, this begs the question of whether one can’t get into the festive spirit without going the firework way.

Shefali Gandhi from Calangute believes that the lack of fireworks is not a deterrent in the slightest, and took to social media to outline her plan for Diwali celebrations, posting “A week before Diwali, keep your car stocked with small boxes of sweets, chocolates, crayons, small toys, ear-rings or any other small knick-knacks that can be useful. Gift them to the boys who fill up petrol at petrol pumps, the old cobbler who sits under a tree in your neighbourhood, the kids who sell toys/ balloons at traffic signals, the tailor who does your shirt buttons/trouser alterations, kids who beg on the roads, the lady who sits at the street side with a wicker basket of fresh vegetables, the people who collect your trash... smile and wish them a very happy Diwali. The smile that lights up their faces at your unexpected gesture is more illuminating than a 1000 electric lamps! This Diwali, light a life!”

Kula Sekhar Kantipudi is an individual who has been propagating firework-free festivities for ages. Sekhar, as he is popularly known, believes “There can’t really be much of a compromise on not using fireworks. One has to roll with the times, but embody the spirit of the festival. The days when fireworks were viable was a time that the population was half of what it is today, and the pollution levels even less so. Pollution is a globally pressing issue. There are many things that people can do to replace the use of fireworks. Diyas and reusable lamps work well for illumination, and music and dancing definitely help on the front of revelry.”

However, one reveller, who preferred to remain unnamed before sharing his views, spoke in favour of not curbing the festive processes, saying “When we were growing up, Diwali meant a festival that celebrated both light and sound. I can’t imagine a Diwali without the noise of a bomb somewhere in the vicinity, or the hissing sound of rockets. During our childhood, no one stopped crackers, because the other causes were negligible or non-existent. The number of vehicles was tiny, ACs didn’t exist. Yet, despite people knowing what the real causes are, they do nothing to clamp down on those, as opposed to these things. Maybe the way forward is to take measures to limit usage, but an outright ban stymies the fun involved with the festival.”

Popular author, Chetan Bhagat has gone on record to say that he does not approve of the Supreme Court order and feels that the ban on the sale of firecrackers is unnecessary and says that traditions call for the celebration of Diwali with the bursting of firecrackers. However, as divisive as he is considered to be, many may respond that this in itself may be considered proof of it being a good move.

Supporters of the firecracker ban say the health of New Delhi’s 18-million residents is more important than traditions, noting that the city’s air can endanger human health at this time of the year, because of slower winds and colder temperatures that trap more pollution. When the Indian Supreme Court announced its decision on Monday, one of the judges said “let’s try at least one Diwali without firecrackers.” Perhaps it’s not such a bad idea after all. Think about it for a second. How much does it hurt to try? And if it works, you may even wind up caring for the environment, the health of those around you, and wind up having a good time. Sounds like a win-win, really.