Omkar Dattatray
Festival of lights, sweets and firecrackers-Diwali, India’s major and most popular festival is around the corner! A festival which commemorates the victory of good over evil .It is time to shop ,decorate homes and get ready for the biggest celebration of the year .But with the increasing pollution concerns and global warning threats around the world ,it is time to stop a while and re-think ,”Is it worth celebrating diwali ”It is sad that today Diwali has become synonyms with noise ,crackers and air and noise pollution. This notion has to undergo change and we should think about celebrating green Diwali .With the government having been initiating to reduce pollution during Diwali celebrations, we as citizens must pay deep attention to ensuring the proper implementation during Diwali festival. A festival that used to be celebrated with traditional diyas and homemade sweets has now changed to noisy crackers and splurging .It is not only harming the environment but also is putting a question mark on an individual’s health .Though we do not want to spoil our Diwali vibes, it is better to celebrate green Diwali that will help you to save the environment as well as to enjoy the festival to the fullest .At the outset we should know what is green Diwali. In simple words, green Diwali is a way of celebrating the festival of lights by ensuring minimum damage to the environment especially due to bursting of firecrackers. The bursting of firecrackers not only causes pollution but is also detrimental to the health of people. Due to air pollution many people suffer from different types of pollution -related ailments during this festive season .So we should resolve to celebrate green and eco-friendly Diwali. Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights with its variations also celebrated in other Indian religions. It symbolizes the spiritual victory of light over darkness ,good over evil and knowledge over ignorance .Diwali is celebrated by Hindus ,Jains ,Sikhs ,and Newar Buddhists ,although for each faith it marks different historical events and stories ,but nevertheless the festival represents the same symbolic victory of light over darkness ,Knowledge over power ,and good over evil .So originally a Hindu festival ,Diwali has transcended religious lines and today it is celebrated by people of different religions .Whatever it is ,Diwali should be celebrated in eco-friendly manner which means that we should celebrate this festival by ensuring minimum damage to environment and health of the people. Because the time is ripe to celebrate green Diwali for our own benefit and for the benefit of our fellow citizens. While celebrating Diwali ,nothing should be done to harm the environment ,nature and people’s health and then only we will be celebrating green Diwali .Diwali is linked to the ancient legend of Lord Rama ,who was deprived of his kingdom and sent to 14 year’s exile and it is celebrated in honor of the return of Lord Rama ,Mata Sita and Laxman to Ajodhya after defeating and killing of demon king Ravana .Diwali is celebrated on the Amayasa of the first fortnight of the Hindu month of Ashwin. This year it falls on chuterdishi. Diwali the festival of lights is the most important festival of Hindus and it is celebrated with great enthusiasm and fanfare throughout India and by the Indian Diaspora abroad .People and especially the children wait anxiously and eagerly for this festival .Diwali is also a festival which celebrates togetherness .We should surely celebrate Diwali and feel joy on this occasion because it is the day on which Lord Ram along with Sita and Laxman had come back to Ayodhya after completing 14 years of exile and therefore this is the moment of merry making. This festival is celebrated by worshipping Lord Ram, and Lord Ganesha, but the business community worship Maha Laxmi – the goddess of wealth and seek her blessings. However, along with this goodness, there are a few not so good things which like air pollution, noise pollution and wastage of resources that can harm to the nature. Let us pledge to do our bit and celebrate green and eco-friendly Diwali so that no harm is done to the environment, nature and fellow citizens who are sick, old and students preparing for examinations .Like the good olden days we should lit beautiful Diyas to brighten our homes, shops and business establishments .It is cost effective and cheap to use and lit the earthen Diyas and illumine our surroundings .Electricity is an expensive commodity and the bill can cause a hole in our pockets .Therefore ,it is so good to illuminate your homes ,offices and other enterprises with diyas instead .Being traditional and organic ,this is close to the spirit of Diwali and will help the people whose livelihood depends on the business .It is good to gift something handmade. Electronics and gifts made of plastic can contribute to waste after some time ,therefore we should opt for personalized gifts made of natural materials like cloth and jute .The gifts as for as possible should be wrapped in newspapers .So instead of those shiny plastics which are difficult to recycle ,wrap the gifts you plan to give to your close ones with newspapers .It is better to use the comic strips section of the newspapers for children .We should become trend setter and show way to others to celebrate green Diwali. It is better to make use of natural material for making Rangoli .Instead of chemical Rangoli colors ,go for natural and use flowers like roses ,marigold, chrysanthemums and leaves to make Rangoli .We can try using turmeric ,kumkum and coffee powder for colors as well .These things are not only eco-friendly ,but can be disposed of easily in your compost bin the next day .It should be made a habit to donate your old things .Rather than throwing your things while cleaning your wardrobe ,donate them to less privileged .The things will be reused thus reducing wastage .You can also give them firecrackers .This gesture will certainly be appreciated and bring a smile on their faces! It is all the more necessary to go for eco-friendly firecrackers .Although bursting crackers should be as for as possible avoided but it becomes difficult to convince the kids .The best thing to do in such situations is to buy eco-friendly crackers .These are made of recycled paper and make less pollution .It is better to make organic Rangoli. So ditch chemical -induced color powder while making Rangoli. The best way to celebrate green Diwali is to say no to fire crackers but it is easy said than done .The burning of firecrackers releases pollutants in the air and also creates noise pollution which makes deafening sound which is irritable also .It is good to use eco-friendly gifts and recycle decorations .As for as possible, reduce plastic use .It is so good if you buy green crackers .The supreme court has banned many kinds of firecrackers as it is hazardous to the environment and people’s health .It is better to use natural colors for making Rangoli. Always so no to plastic gift wrappings .It is good to save electricity consumption for individual and national good. It is good to consume homemade sweets .It is so good to avoid firecrackers and save the wastage of money and put it to use for productive activity. Let the festival of lights which Diwali is illumine our minds and hearts so that we learn to work for others because those who only work for themselves are more than dead than alive according to saint, philosopher Swami Vivekananda.