Going Crackers Over Crackers

First I thought of naming this blog ‘DEAR CHETAN BHAGAT” but then realized that the abovementioned hack is already getting more than his deserved attention and decided to ignore him as much as possible. Instead let me start with a couple of nephews of mine.


The two had landed in my house a couple of diwalis ago and as soon as they arrived they developed a searching look and started looking for something.


“What are you looking for?” the daughter asked them. “Crackers” came the reply. The look on their face when she told them that we don’t do fireworks was exquisite. They looked at us as if we were malevolent entities after their blood.


“But that is against our tradition” burst out one of them. “ It is in the shastras!”. I didn’t tell him I cared two hoots for the so-called shastras but he went on to explain that Rama was welcomed back in Ayodhya with fireworks after bumping off Ravana. “ Sure they had sparklers and bombs in Treta Yuga” said the daughter.


His younger brother explained that not in Treta Yuga but in Dvapara Yuga fireworks must have existed because Narakasura before kicking the bucket due to Krishna asked him that his death must be remembered every year with the bursting off crackers `”Good riddance” was the chorus in the house when the two fireworks fans left.


Yes, my daughter gave up fireworks when she was at school where the students took a plege that they won’t add to the pollution through crackers. Alas even many adults don’t have such a m ature approach. In fact it is so bad that the Supreme court had to stwp in and bn the sale of crackers during the Festival of Lights which has become Festival of Noise and Air Pollutions thanks to the eardrum bursting crackers and toxins releases into the atmosphere by fireworks.


Delhi is among the 20 most polluted cities in the world and during Diwali the pollution rises manifold . The worst victims of this are children who develop lung related diseases like bronchitis and asthma..


The abovementioned hack represents the juvenile mindset . For him fireworks are tradition, a ban is communal. He displayed his blindingly dazzling intelligence by saying at this rate Christmas trees should be banned too along with goat sacrifice during Id-ul-Zuha. Fireworks are not integral to the celebrations but the trees and goat sacrifices are integral to the two fests Before asking goat sacrifice ab during Id people should ask goat sacrifice to be halted during KaliPuja and animal sacrifices banned in many temples (To be fair many Kali Puja venues symbolically “sacrifice” a pumpkin nowadays instead of goats.).


Another argument against ban is it will take away lot of jobs in fireworks shops and manufacturing units. Well, people may be able to find other jobs but not other lungs.


The third and most valid criticism is should Supreme Court take on the mantle of the executive. It is for the government to issue such ban orders. Normally this is a valid point. But what do you do when the executive dithers fearing loss of popular support and its impact on next polls if such a seemingly drastic decision is taken? Somebody has to step in to fill the vacuum. That is what the Supreme Court has done.

So let us not go crackers over crackers and look forward to a relatively pollution-free diwali shrugging off pedlars of unhealthy add- ons to the celebrations.

 

iwa true the pollution is already there. But at least in Delhi the pollution increases exponentially during the festival, say about five times. Studies have shown that fireworks cause lung related ailments like asthma and bronchitis. Fireworks augment the pollution that already exists.

 

Nandini thanks. If everyone shares your abovementioned ideas on bursting crackers we would be choking to death.

 

I didn't get you wrong. I know you are just listing the silly excuses people give for bursting crackers.sesthe silly excuses people give for bursting crackers. Diwali for me is the festival of lamps and good food . No fireworks.