As we edge increasingly closer to destroying ourselves ecologically we have thoroughly destroyed the true essence of certain aspects of our lives which were meant to give joy and peace to one and all. Two of such terms that instantly come to mind are- “Love” and “God.” They are the most widely misunderstood and thus violently disputed concepts of our lives and times. Lately one more such aspect added to the group is “Festivities”.
Festivals were meant to be times when close family and friends came together letting go of all malice in their hearts and spending quality time together indulging in peaceful rituals. Today however the definition could read like this-
Festival means:
1) Primarily making MAXIMUM NOISE…More the noise the better you are celebrating. It does not matter whether the noise has any relevance to the festival being celebrated,
2) Spending more money than your neighbor even if it means borrowing and surpassing your means making you curse the festival later on!,
3) Making sure you give the best gift… it’s a tough task since you not only have to better the gift but also the gift wrap paper!
4) Being insensitive to the trouble caused to people who are not part of your group since it serves them right for staying away, so what if they have serious problems!
Take any festival, be it the ‘Navratri’ where the pre-festival write ups- appearing in all periodicals- are not about the sanctity of the festival or its history but about tips on one night stands and safe sex. ‘Ganeshotsav’ is no more about Lokmanya Tilak and why he started the festival but about the most expensive Mandal decoration and the tallest Ganesha idol not to mention the richest with celebrity attendance and there is ‘Dahi Handi’ which is all about politics with each political party and its loyal workers edging each other in the race to sponsor the costliest handi and pulling the largest crowd!
As such keeping with the tradition should I be ‘shocked’ when I open the newspaper after the third day of Diwali and all I find on the first 5 pages are the following stories?-
1) Noise pollution norms go up in smoke this year! - Firecrackers were being burst in hospital premises!!!
2) Traumatic weekend for animals, many left dehydrated and with burn injuries all due to firecrackers!
3) Most of 22 fires reported in the city over the last 48 hours were caused by carelessly launched rockets by Diwali revelers!
4) Woman suffers 70% burns as Sari catches fire.
If from the daily chaos of our competitive lives we take a break to celebrate a festival and end up causing more harm then we would otherwise would have…I am sure we are in serious trouble!
Wish you all a Noisy Diwali and a Destructive year ahead.
Festivals were meant to be times when close family and friends came together letting go of all malice in their hearts and spending quality time together indulging in peaceful rituals. Today however the definition could read like this-
Festival means:
1) Primarily making MAXIMUM NOISE…More the noise the better you are celebrating. It does not matter whether the noise has any relevance to the festival being celebrated,
2) Spending more money than your neighbor even if it means borrowing and surpassing your means making you curse the festival later on!,
3) Making sure you give the best gift… it’s a tough task since you not only have to better the gift but also the gift wrap paper!
4) Being insensitive to the trouble caused to people who are not part of your group since it serves them right for staying away, so what if they have serious problems!
Take any festival, be it the ‘Navratri’ where the pre-festival write ups- appearing in all periodicals- are not about the sanctity of the festival or its history but about tips on one night stands and safe sex. ‘Ganeshotsav’ is no more about Lokmanya Tilak and why he started the festival but about the most expensive Mandal decoration and the tallest Ganesha idol not to mention the richest with celebrity attendance and there is ‘Dahi Handi’ which is all about politics with each political party and its loyal workers edging each other in the race to sponsor the costliest handi and pulling the largest crowd!
As such keeping with the tradition should I be ‘shocked’ when I open the newspaper after the third day of Diwali and all I find on the first 5 pages are the following stories?-
1) Noise pollution norms go up in smoke this year! - Firecrackers were being burst in hospital premises!!!
2) Traumatic weekend for animals, many left dehydrated and with burn injuries all due to firecrackers!
3) Most of 22 fires reported in the city over the last 48 hours were caused by carelessly launched rockets by Diwali revelers!
4) Woman suffers 70% burns as Sari catches fire.
If from the daily chaos of our competitive lives we take a break to celebrate a festival and end up causing more harm then we would otherwise would have…I am sure we are in serious trouble!
Wish you all a Noisy Diwali and a Destructive year ahead.
