Delhi Smog – Probably It Is Time To #ReInventFestivals

The Delhi smog has left the residents literally gasping for breath. Is it worth a day’s merriment? Maybe it is time to #ReInventFestivals?

Festival times are – indulging in merriment, carring forward traditions and spending time with family. But as we come across disturbing images of rivers of blood in Dhaka to the dense smog in Delhi, I can’t help but think – one day of merriment, several days of miseries! Is it worth it?

We say education helps us to see the flip side, does it really?

In the run up to Diwali, pollution was on the top of the mind for everyone. Posts were written, statuses were updated, tweets galore and a war cry – NO CRACKERS, GREEN DIWALI, SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT. The future looked promising given the amount of buzz around. And boy, did it happen? Well looking at the density and intensity of the Delhi smog, looks like they were mere words after all!

Yes, I agree the burning of crops and the direction of the wind has made it worse, but that doesn’t rationalise our actions. For a change, instead of finding excuses and hiding behind pretextes let’s just take responsibility for our own actions and stop passing the buck. The buck indeed needs to stop with each one of us.

So we asked our readers would they consider an alternative way of spending Diwali. This is what they said.

Let’s make it loud with family, not crackers!

via GIPHY

The reinvention comes from less focus on crackers, more on just spending time 🙂 #WomenOnTheMove https://t.co/vjumhgA9EH

— Aparna V Singh (@editorsahiba) October 26, 2016

For me ‘traditional’ part of Diwali is that it’s about family. Like to spend with parents or ILs #WomenOnTheMovehttps://t.co/vjumhgA9EH

— Aparna V Singh (@editorsahiba) October 26, 2016

@womensweb A1. Celebrating Diwali in a traditional way has itself become different these days. I love to follow rituals. #WomenOnTheMove

— Pallavi Kamat (@Pallavisms) October 26, 2016

@womensweb a festival to meet with family and friends

— TravelingNoodles (@anjujayaram) October 26, 2016

@womensweb With the strong influence of western culture, it’s important to emphasise #festivals as family occasions.#Diwali #womenonthemove

— Vaishali Gandhi (@vaishali178) October 26, 2016

Find alternative ways of making noise, if you must!

via GIPHY

@womensweb#ReInventingDiwali making cracking sound with just a paper!. My daughter’s way of celebrating pollution less Diwali

— jey (@jeydevi) October 26, 2016

Indulge in some DIY creativity

via GIPHY

@womensweb This time I decided not 2 buy expensive lights from outside, but make my own.
Fairy lights in decorated Keventers bottles 😍

— Swarnima (@SwarnsB) October 26, 2016

@womensweb Diwali without #crackers only with #lights #love and #mithai #womenonthemove

— Back to the Front (@back2dfront) October 26, 2016

Don’t buy sweets, make them at home

via GIPHY

@womensweb making traditional sweets with healthy twist at home #WomenOnTheMove

— shruti mahajan singh (@shrutimsingh) October 26, 2016

With the debacle of a pollution causing Diwali behind us, and the festive season still not over with Christmas and the New Year coming, maybe we should introspect on what we should be doing.

Liked this post?

Become a premium user on Women’s Web and get access to exclusive content for women, plus useful Women’s Web events and resources in your city.

Image: Pixabay

Jyotishree Mohanty

A part time backpacker, an accidental baker, a doting mother, a loving wife, a pampered

Learn More