Contrary to the apprehension that the earthen diyas, deemed as the quintessence of Deepawali festivities, are set to be replaced by fancy electric lamps, mostly China-made, the people of Dehradun are choosing to cling to the time-transcending tradition of celebrating the festival of light with the diyas.
“We can hardly do otherwise as the Deepawali sans such diyas is no Deepawali at all. Electric lamps cannot replace diyas when it comes to celebrating Diwali,” said Anjali, a homemaker, found buying diyas from a market, a few days before the festival.
The apprehension is justified in view of the fact that the Chinese-made lamps used for Deepawali illumination flood the markets across Uttarakhand around this time. But two factors aside from the fact that the people, by and large, are still strongly disinclined to part with the long-enduring tradition are helping diyas to survive withstanding the challenge. These are the cheapness of the earthen diyas as compared to the electric lights and the campaign unleashed post- Uri attack against the purchase of Chinese goods.
A shopkeeper Azad who is trading from Karanpur said, “I asked for 50 fancy Chinese lights from Dehradun- based wholesalers. But they supplied me with only 10 fancy lights. Perhaps it is due to the anti-Chinese goods campaign presently going on across the country. However, the margin of our profit might dip with the dip in the sale volume of the Chinese lights.”
Another housewife Kavita from Raipur said the tradition of lighting diyas can hardly be dispensed with. “The legend has it that the lighting of the diyas brings positive energy which is believed to welcome Goddess laxmi in the house. Can anyone opt for the fancy lights at the expense of the traditional diyasIJ This is unthinkable,” she said.
A potter Ganga Ram trading from his shop on Chakrata Road near Doon School said that he was selling various kinds of earthen pots ranging from Rs 20 for 25 diyas. “We make the diyas here with soil brought from Mehuwala. More attractive diyas come here for sale from Agra and Kolkota. They are a bit more expensive than the ordinary diyas,” he said.
Another potter Anil said the sale of diyas peaks during the Deepawali festival. “This has been going on for ages when we were children. The tradition is still thriving,” he said.
Umesh, another potter, said, " A month or so ahead of Diwali, we take up the work of making diyas, leaving aside what we do throughout the year by way of eking out our livelihood. We have been doing the same for generations. Now, things are a bit better. They are now of larger size and greater variety,” he added.
Rakesh Uniyal, resident of Raipur, said that he had purchased around 100 diyas to decorate his house to mark Deepawali. “This is a must. Deepawali is not mere revelry. It is a tradition surviving time despite changes sweeping across our life style,” he affirmed.