Deepavali or Divali is a festival of lights and one of the major festivals celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs.[7] The festival usually lasts five days and is celebrated during the Hindu lunisolar month Kartika (between mid-October and mid-November). One of the most popular festivals of Hinduism, Diwali symbolizes the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance” .Diwali is also a major cultural event for the Hindu and Jain diaspora from the Indian subcontinent.
It’s a time when we wear our finest clothes, illuminate the interior and exterior of our homes with diyas and rangoli, perform worship ceremonies of Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and wealth,[note 1] light fireworks, and partake in family feasts, distribute mithai (sweets) and gifts .
The main feature of Diwali festival is burning firecrackers. People spent a lot of money for this .
According to researchers, the mean PM10 (tiny particulate matter suspended in air measuring 10 micrometres or less in diameter)concentration during Diwali was 81% higher than at other times, and the concentration of metals and ions increased significantly. With an increase of 65%, the noise levels too were equally excessive. The increased level of particulate matter corresponded with a 67% increase in the number of patients attending the hospital during the Diwali period . At this time of year, the weather, celebratory practices and regional agriculture combine to create conditions in which air pollution around Delhi reaches 300 times the World Health Organisation standard for healthy air.
I’m not against festivals and as a proud citizen of cultural and linguistic diversities I enjoy each and every aspect of my diverse culture .The motive behind all festivals is bringing people together ,for them to stay connected and relish good memories and stay happy. But that doesn’t mean destroying or harming nature or just burning out people’s hard earned money .Happiness can be felt ,unity can be experienced ,we can celebrate the victory of good over evil even without polluting nature. What do you think? And do you think unwanted norms and practices in your countries increase pollution?
These are a few links to know more about diwali.
https://artsandculture.google.com/story/0QVxpSl4NnfrEQ
https://artsandculture.google.com/story/pgXxYajfen0Wuw
https://artsandculture.google.com/story/ogXhxVlP9nfNAw
Looking forward to your comments
Reshma Rajesh