An inevitable part of the Diwali festival is the crackers debate. To burst or not to burst crackers, that is the question. Year after year, the debate rages, louder than the crackers themselves.
The sound and the air pollution levels are indeed the worst during Diwali. That way, the sound pollution is quite bad during the Ganapati festival, too. In fact, some three months before the actual Ganapati festival, begins the dhol-tasha practice,band as in the actual procession, there are countless practices and numberless performers. Hence the complaint.
The same holds true with the crackers, too. When it comes to the Laxmi Poojan evening, crackers burst louder than any political debate, and are equally polluting and dangerous.
Should crackers be banned then? Well, for children, Diwali is indeed incomplete without the crackers. It is also pointed out that all the so-called developed countries also use crackers to celebrate all the special occasions. Many argue that stub burning and industrial chimneys and effluents pollute much much more. Why then take away a simple joy from children by making them an oath, et al?
Well, the debate gets dangerous the moment the traditional practice et al get quoted, right? May be, the solution could be a via media? May be, there could be a "cracker evening" like the "Diwali pahat", wherein the city enthusiasts come together to enjoy bursting the crackers for an hour or two? It can be organised keeping all sorts of safety measures in mind. Otherwise, such debates would continue to get noisier and more polluting than either the crackers or the dhol-tasha groups!
Pratima@Why always the "sound and fury signifying nothing"? Why not "be wise" and try solutions in a trice?
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