Diwali Aaj Kal

[Namrata Suri]

There was a time when Diwali was more about the dhoom dhadaka of the crackers in the evenings and less about the diyas. Of late, there has been a change in attitude though. Fireworks have ceased to excite many people - young people , and Diwali has taken a greener turn. Its a welcome change given how desperate the environment is in need of lesser pollution. Having said that , many folks are now left wondering about the relevance of Diwali. For many the puja used to be a mere formality and the evenings were what they looked forward to. Now, Diwali is nothing special or extraordinary. Which makes me wonder - is observing abstinence for one day of the year a substitute for the recklessness we indulge in on a day to day basis? Should we rather not celebrate Diwali - a festival that comes along once a year, with full fervor and be more considerate for the remaining 364 days? Or is the no-crackers policy a statement - a statement that we are responsible citizens of the planet? Whats your take...