Written by Writer Siri Sushmita and edited by Editor Shashwati

Firstly why do we celebrate Diwali?

There are different theories in different parts of India.

Some of them are as followed. In the Dvapara Yuga, Lord Krishna Killed the demon Narakasura, who was the evil king of Pragjyotishapura, located near Assam in present-day, and released 16000 girls who were held captive by Narakasura. The day before Diwali is remembered as Naraka Chaturdasi, the day on which Narakasura was killed by Krishna.

Hence, the day after is celebrated as Diwali, as the symbol of the victory of good on the evil. This is the one we all learned in school. Yet we don’t know many of the other theories. I would love to state them here. According to Ramayana, Lord Rama, his wife Sita, and brother Laxmana finally returned to Ayodhya after spending 14 years in exile and defeating the demon king Raavana.

Another significance is the goddess Lakshmi was born on the same day. On Diwali, Pandavas return to Hastinapura after 12 years of banishment, which was imposed on them as a punishment for losing in the gamble by Kauravas. In some parts of East India, they celebrate it as Kali Puja (Goddess Kali). 

When we see all these stories about Diwali. One can say that evil is defeated by good, or it’s a sign of the exit of evil. We sometimes represent this with light in the darkness, that’s why we call Diwali a celebration of lights. Celebration of the celestial day on which the hope of people in good was reestablished.

Nowadays, Diwali became more about making noises rather than understanding and remembering the heritage behind it. Even though we could assume in old days there were crackers, and they did the same on that day as we fire a lot of crackers. But we should never neglect the fact why they did so. Does anyone ever think why should we do this thing every year, is it mandatory to lit crackers on Diwali?

No, right it’s obviously festival of light not crackers. They might have used the crackers back then, but only when something remarkable happened. The divinity won over the evil. The Ayodhya got its rulers Ram and Sita back. The Pandavas returned to Hastinapura.

When anything auspicious happened we can celebrate it with crackers, yet there is no such ritual that is mandatory. It’s for ending of bad but are we doing we are emitting bad, or you are thinking we are killing Narakasura every year then that means he didn’t die in the hand of Lord Krishna. With the changing  generation, we should also change our celebrating methods to protect our earth, and by not losing our cultural significance. 

On Diwali, we are harming the environment with both air and sound pollution by using excessive amounts of crackers. It’s only right to say that it bring no good for any of us. If kids can’t understand what happened to elders’ wisely behavior? They are more outrageous than children. Children don’t know about the harm about the crackers. The wise and silly adults proudly announce how many boxes they lit, and they share these so-called ritual things on social media. 

Many regions in India faced severe pollution in the air, which requires much needed attention and prompt actions for not making the air quality hazardous.

Henceforth, these behaviors should be monitored properly. Because to celebrate Diwali is always to protect the most important things which is history of our culture and the environment. The celebration of Diwali can still remain blissful, just by not forgetting that it is the festival of lights rather than sound. The light of divinity, hope and togetherness. 

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