Come to the festival of lights, and the entire country goes into the festive mode. Arguably the most significant festival for the Hindu diaspora across the globe, this is one time when families come together to strengthen the filial bonds.
But in recent years, this heck of a festival has earned a bad name, largely owing to the rise in the air and noise pollution levels during Diwali. The 5-day festival ’s main theme remains the ‘good over evil triumph’. Shopping for new attires, cleaning of homes and decoration, exchange of Diwali goodies, visiting relatives and friends and of course, the all-important Lakshmi pooja remains the main aspects of the celebration. However, with the increasing purchasing power, the hallmark of the festival has shifted from the mere lighting up of homes to the bursting of crackers and the lighting of fireworks.
In most cities, there is an undeclared show-off competition among people with regard to the display of fireworks and crackers. No doubt the night sky looks brilliant with the hues of red, yellow, green, blue and orange. However, what few care about is the horrific pollution that these crackers create. For instance, in the last few years, the national capital of Delhi has suffered the ill effects of this. A thick blanket of smog had engulfed the entire population for days after the Diwali celebrations leading to breathing difficulties, eye irritations, headaches, skin issues, and other respiratory problems.
Say ‘Yes’ to a Green Diwali
A smoke-free Diwali is perhaps the best thing that you can gift to the environment this festive season. Many celebrities have also pleaded the public to say ‘no’ to crackers. Go for a green Diwali. Decorate your home with colourful rangolis, and use the earthen diyas to light up your homes. There’s something about the humble diya that no fancy artificial light or crackers can match. Celebrating a green Diwali gives a sense of contentment of doing your bit for Mother Nature.
Bring Home an Air Purifier.
Why? Because this is one must-buy item that will do your family a lot of good then you can possibly imagine. It’s a product that would serve your family 365 days of the year, not just during Diwali. With the alarmingly high levels of air pollution in Indian cities, it goes without saying that the air is not safe anymore. Hence, to purify the indoor air in our homes, a trusted air purifier can be a great appliance. Choose an air purifier for the home with a high air purification rate and a CADR that is capable of attending to a space larger than your current room size. Also, make sure that the air purifier is empowered with HEPA filtration so that harmful tiny air particles cannot enter your lungs. If you or somebody else in your family is a patient of respiratory illnesses like asthma, bronchitis or lung cancer, then buying an air purifier is an advice you must never ignore.
Satiate Your Sweet Tooth in a Healthy Way
Indian festivals are incomplete without those sugar-laden sweets. We agree that they taste heavenly but they’re not so great for health. Most sweets contain an overwhelming number of empty calories and hence, bad for those trying to lose weight. It’s even riskier if you are diabetic or are susceptible to diabetes. Eat moderately and choose your sweet treats smartly. However, you can wisely opt for sugar-free sweets or opt for natural sweeteners like palm sugar, jaggery or honey to prepare the sweet treats. Nuts and dry fruits are other very good ingredients that are also loaded with health benefits. Get some inspiration from the internet. You’d be flooded with healthy dessert recipe ideas. Just a few healthy tweaks to the original recipe and you’re good to go.
Avoid Synthetic Clothes
Diwali means dressing up in your best attires and heavy festive wear. However, try your best to stay away from easily flammable synthetics. Such fabrics catch fire easily and may lead to unwanted accidents. Diwali is notorious for a large number of burn accidents that occur every year. Go for light, breathable cotton fabrics or any other fabric that you can safely wear while lighting crackers and diyas.
Keep a First-Aid Box Ready
You might feel that this is overrated but going by the stats, it wouldn’t harm to have an emergency first-aid box ready. Fill the kit with all the necessary items like burnol, an antiseptic ointment, bandage, eye drops, scissors, pain relievers. Store it at an easily accessible place in the house. Also, keep ice cubes ready in the fridge.
Keep an Eye Over Your Pets
Sadly, animals don’t enjoy the festival as much due to bursting of noisy crackers. Most animals get very scared by the sudden noise. Help them relax and assure them that they’re safe. Make sure that your pets stay indoors as it might be dangerous for them to wander outside on the roads.
Don’t Go Overboard With Alcohol
Playing teen Patti is a popular custom on Diwali. But alcohol also finds its way at many places in such card games. Excessive alcohol consumption is the reason behind the brawls at Diwali card games. Ensure that you drink within limits. In case you’re drunk, hand over your car keys to someone sober and let them drive you home.
Rangoli With Natural Ingredients
Go organic this Diwali. Decorate your home with coloured natural items. For instance, how about a rangoli with made with turmeric for yellow, lentils for orange and green, white with rice powder, kumkum for red? You can also use brightly coloured natural flowers to decorate a stunning rangoli. So give those chemical powders a break and do your skin a favour.
Tone Down the Music Volume
Tone down those loudspeakers and music systems. While you might feel like enjoying with highly noisy music, not everybody can or wishes to. The elderly and those with cardiac issues can feel discomforted and so do babies. Do not play loud music if there is a hospital nearby. Enjoy sensibly and responsibly.