Noiseless and 3D crackers are things of the past. This year’s Diwali celebrations are all about lighting solar diyas, investing in lEDs and playing traditional games like Teen Patti and Rummy on a digital platform with family from anywhere in the world. Shrabasti Mallik speaks to companies and manufacturers
loud crackers, brights lights (often in excess), baskets and packets filled with mithai and namkeen — this is how we celebrate Diwali. That has been the norm, always. But also, with the burning of crackers came accidents, burns and the most life-threatening of all — the pollution one night of incessant burning crackers could create. It was from somewhere in the last decade that people, or as we may recall Madhuri Dixit, spreading the message of celebrating a safe Diwali by wearing cotton clothes and maintaining a distance from the crackers, started to be on alert.
That particular video, in little ways, changed the way we celebrated (and still celebrate Diwali), but it did trigger a change in mentality where companies, both big and small, are trying to come up with new and interesting ways to celebrate the festival of lights.
First there were noise free and smokeless crackers, then there were 3D crackers and a lot more in between. But this year, just not cracker companies but online gaming portals and also radio stations are doing their bit and wracking their brains, not just to make a change, but ‘be a change’ in the way we celebrate.
Take for example, the solar light diyas that are available on Amazon. The idea is not a complicated one, but one that has not been thought before. A spokesperson from the site said, “It is safe and environment friendly. Plus, this is a long term solution, too. The idea is to enjoy the day and celebrate without disturbing anybody.” One just needs to leave the diyas out in the sunlight during the day and operate it at night. And the lights are pretty powerful, too.
We found out that a lot of innovations have gone into the manufacture of lights. like the solar diyas, Energy Efficiency Services limited (EESl), set up under the ministry of power have devised a range of lED lights, not just to light up your home but also lessen the burden in your pocket. Saurabh Kumar, MD, EESl said, “lEDs, in long term, serve as a cost effective and safe alternative to traditional lighting. They are highly energy efficient — consume less heat, emit more light, cost much less, and uses 85 per cent less electricity for the same output — as compared to conventional lighting. Plus, they run much cooler than incandescent bulbs and significantly cooler than CFls.”
Radio stations are synonymous with coming up with quirky ideas to keep people entertained. RED FM’s Diwali initiative titled Bum pe laat aims to “kick away the crackers.” In true RED FM-style, the station is appealing to citizens in Delhi and Mumbai, to take a pledge against burning firecrackers and to opt for environment-friendly Diwali. Speaking about the initiative, Nisha Narayanan, COO, RED FM said, “Through our initiative Bum pe laat, we wanted to remind citizens that Diwali is a festival of light and can be celebrated peacefully, without causing harm to the environment. We are motivating people to say no to fireworks by spreading the message how firecrackers drastically affect the air quality, harms the flora and fauna and also can be a nuisance for those not bursting crackers. I hope this effort will appeal the people to go for a cracker-free Diwali and contribute to the ecology.”
last but not the least, how can we forget the evergreen games of Teen patti and Tambola. The digital version of these games is a thing of the past but what’s new is that you can play these games with your family from any part of the world. The portal Octro Inc has re-imagined games that people have played for centuries in India with their family and friends, digitised them, and brought them to the mobile platform. Saurabh Agarwal, founder and CEO, explained, “Now, with globalisation and our busy schedules, it is hard to get everyone to come to the same location to play. Our games fill that need, and this lets family and friends play together from wherever they are. My sister lives in the US, and I was glad to connect with her and play games that we used to play in our childhood.”