Diwali...deepavali....concern

When serial bulbs hang down the window of an apartment out there, when plastic buckets and floor-mops hanging in the facade of a shop suddenly give way to ever-so-inviting colourful lamp-shades, when the sky outside my window comes alive with a lone cracker once in a while, I know it's time for diwali. Diwali season out here in Mumbai seems more colourful than Bangalore, at least when it comes to products on display.

What irks me though, is that none of the newspapers run campaigns on eco-friendly diwali, although social consciousness about crackers causing pollution has risen a great deal over the decades. It's not done at least on a scale like during the Ganesha festival.

Cracker making firms have on the contrary worked around to selling the `eco-friendly' tag by claiming to adhere to pollution norms. Safety is spoken about when it comes to children, yeah. In spite of it we have children and sometimes adults who fall prey to the erratic show of light and noise in the name of prosperity.

The legends about the festival are so sound and so full of meaning. The purpose is all the more meaningful - victory of good over evil, celebration of such victory with holding light, spreading light and joy, to conquer darkness. Invoking prosperity - symbolised by Goddess Lakshmi. Lighting lamps alone moved from the original tradition I was shocked the other day when a friend said some neighbours of hers were getting together to celebrate diwali with a few pegs of beer, not just by playing cards! Losing money to a game of cards is no prosperity! Beer....is that not a guaranteed way of throwing money...thereby disrespecting it!

Am lost for words when my husband's argument for crackers goes thus: bursting crackers is one of the biggest joys a child could have. Depriving him/her of this joy would be hurting.

 Maybe the whole stereotype of ``the more crackers you burst, the more prosperous you are'' that's been imposed on the society, has led to such thought, and in turn to more cracker sales.

It's time we explained the real meaning of diwali to our children. I would say throw crackers to wind. Light a few lamps that emit more light. Get creative...make a rangoli. Think of decorating your home by recycling home junk...it would make diwali more meaningful. 

As for me, being back in Bangalore for the festival is in itself joy. I don't need crackers to express it! When I say this, am praying no one thrusts a sparkler into my hand!