Festival of Lights

Another major festival in India – Deepawali – gets over. It is a Festival of Lights, having been celebrated for centuries together.

Keeping the mythological stories and legends aside, it is the celebration of good over evil.

With passing time, lights were accompanied with bursting of crackers, which snowballed into a largely fun filled cacophony. But the cracker fun really did more harm than good. It scared away birds and animals. It scared babies and the sick. It harmed the greenery. Not to forget the air and noise pollution. Cities are overcrowded and any higher level of pollution can drive up sickness majorly. More so in the backdrop of Covid.

It is so much better to spend this time with the family and friends, amidst laughter and cheer. And lights. There are near and dear ones who one doesn’t get to meet mostly due to work exigencies. Catching up is the best thing one can do at this time of the season.

Also, there are so many people who need solace, some hand holding and all they need is for someone to tell them that they are also special. Old age homes, orphanages, human and animal shelters…one could think of so many possible avenues.

Festival of Lights is symbolic. Spreading of love, hope and faith. Brings in much more peace and harmony than the shouting matches that can go on over noise and drinks.

In a world that already has so much dissonance, the least one can do is to be loving, caring and understanding someone’s special needs. It goes a long way to strengthen our environment and thereby our future.