The Festival of Lights

I open the window and what do I see?

Lights, diyas, candles.

And that's when I wonder, Diwali is correctly called the festival of lights✨!

It is definitely my favourite festival. We light diyas, make rangolis, wear gorgeous dresses, eat lots and lots of sweets, and are touched by the aura of the celebrations.

The houses are filled with light, that reflects the light of the souls of all those who celebrate this beautiful festival.

The best part of this festival (apart from its beauty) is that it brings everyone together. We meet all our friends and family and go to dozens of dinners.

Although this year is very different. We'll be able to meet our close friends and family only. 

We will have to follow the social distancing norms and have to sanitize all our gifts.

But I was almost compelled to write this: the most threatening of all are firecrackers. Generally, people associate their happiness of Diwali, not in the warm greetings nor diyas nor rangolis, but with burning the firecrackers. Firecrackers produce a lot of pollution and that is definitely the problem.

COVID-19 attacks the lungs and, so does the pollution. People affected by COVID-19 would get even more ill if pollution gets worse.

Some people might counter "Burning crackers for one day isn't going to harm anybody!".

Well, that's where they go wrong. People all around India think this and if almost 50% of the 1,380,004,385 people in India burn crackers, then that is a very big problem. 

We should not wait for the air quality to get more hazardous. Many people like me have started turning on the air purifiers.

It wouldn't feel good if one's COVID ill parents or grandparents are coughing loudly and there is nothing they can do, just listen to the firecrackers burning in the air.

So, I must emphasize and request all of you to not burn crackers. Please do say NO to CRACKERS. 

Anyways, Happy Diwali!