The festival of lights —Diwali — was celebrated with a lot of religious fervour across the city on Sunday. After the Diwali puja, everyone enjoyed the eve with delicious eatables and bursting the crackers with their friends and relatives.
While talking to The Pioneer, Sakshi, a homemaker said, “Every year my kids get a lot of crackers on Diwali and burst them with a lot of enthusiasm.” On the other hand, a school student, Kabir said, “This time I bought the longest cracker (ladi bomb) ever. As I burst it there was a lot of excitement among all the children of my colony and we enjoyed it a lot.” It costs Rs 2,000, he further added excitedly.
As Diwali is celebrated by everyone irrespective of caste, creed or religion, friends visited each other’s house with gifts as a token of love and friendship. Diyas (clay lamps) were lit to chase away the darkness of ignorance and welcome the bright light of enlightenment. However, in the zest to celebrate this festival, there is a tendency to go overboard.
But, carelessness during Diwali celebrations can have a detrimental effect on the environment and endanger every one’s safety. Keeping this in view, the youth of the city celebrated the green Diwali. Dushyant Verma, a college student said, “This year we have not burst the crackers instead we celebrated this Diwali with partying at house with family and friends. We enjoyed Diwali with sweets and organized traditional theme party at home.” On the other hand, another college student, Diksha Sen said, “I and my friends this year did a charity in our colony. We distributed gifts to the street children who live nearby our colony. This was my best Diwali ever,’ she added smilingly.
Divya, a school teacher said, “Celebrating Diwali does not mean completely giving up the things you love. However, it is time to go back to the traditional Diwali celebrations of the past. It will not only save the environment but also people will understand better the true meaning of Diwali.” Elaborating further she said, “I celebrated this day with my family and distributed sweets in our neighbourhood as a token of enthusiastic celebration.”
Bhopalites enjoyed the spirit of the festival with traditional sweets and fire-crackers. The whole city was decorated with vibrant lighting and no street was aloof from it. Even during late night the streets were blinking with lights and diyas. liveliness of the festival could be seen at every corner of the street.