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Be it the joy of Christmas, the magic of Diwali, the colors in Holi or the beauty of Eid, every festival celebrates certain aspects of communities which, in a way, define them. Festivals have been around since nearly the dawn of human evolution and the tradition will continue for many years to come. However, as the times changed, the way in which certain festivals are celebrated have changed as well. Let’s take a look at two popular examples.
Diwali or Deepavali ,the festival of lights, is celebrated to mark the occasion of Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya after he vanquished Ravana, the Rakshasa king of Lanka, but what comes to everyone’s mind when they hear the word ‘Diwali’ or ‘Deepavali’ is fireworks. This ancient Indian festival was originally celebrated by lighting diyas and various types of lamps. It was in 1940 that the Nadar brothers associated fireworks with Diwali , a brilliant marketing strategy , the success of which has formed a tradition in India and the rest of the world. However, the association of fireworks with Diwali has indirectly led to many environmental problems. Large amounts of air pollution, noise pollution and light pollution is produced as a result. Large amounts of garbage, mostly from the wrappings that encase the crackers, is piled up in nearly all cities, which pollute the environment and are sometimes consumed by animals. If the garbage won’t make them sick, the toxic chemicals used to make chemicals will. This is applicable to human beings as well. Sometimes the firecrackers explode prematurely dealing damage to the person igniting the former as well as those unlucky enough to be caught in it’s trajectory. Sometimes factory owners and others employ children to manufacture their products, depriving the latter from having a proper childhood and a good education. While it is beautiful to see colorful designs in the sky and near people’s houses, firecrackers shouldn’t be used excessively. Firecrackers can be engineered to be made more eco friendly and safe but avoiding them altogether can be a better option sometimes, considering how air toxicity has increased at an alarming rate in certain cities.
Holi , the Hindu spring festival of colors, is celebrated in several stages including lighting a pyre after sunset to symbolize the victory of good over evil and preparing mouthwatering sweets and other delicacies at home, but the festival is most popularly known for the exuberant celebrations involving tossing of dry color at one another, squirting solutions made of these colors by means of water guns and Bhaang, an intoxicating drink prepared using special herbs for this occasion. This period involves partying and enjoyment to the fullest. As time passed, Holi has evolved into a festival that could be enjoyed by people of any ethnicity, religion, caste etc., a festival that breaks barriers, a festival that invites the world to be a part of the beautiful ceremony that compels one to give in to the colors of merriment. Despite all the positives, there are negatives associated with the festival that prevent some from enjoying the festival for what it is. The phrase “Bura na mano holi hai” is a common one used during Holi, meaning “Don’t feel bad, it’s Holi!” because some people tend to apply color on anything that moves, but some people do worse things. One woman was pinned to the ground and molested in the name of applying color, another woman was the victim of a semen filled balloon thrown at her , many other women were molested in a number of ways. Some people manufacture ’colors’ of bad quality which result in skin damage and severe health problems if ingested. Sometimes animals are made victims of this colorfest , some of these animals lick their bodies to cleanse themselves. With all this going on, the atrocities outweigh the joy of this festival for a number of people , killing their ‘Holi spirit’. It would be a shame to tarnish the name of this beautiful festival in any way, everyone deserves that much.
Festivals create huge employment opportunities. There are several industries in the world that heavily rely on festivals for income. During Christmas for example, there is a high demand for Santa costumes, Christmas candy, Christmas tree decorations and even the tree themselves. Apart from this, there is also a huge demand for toys and video games by millions of children who made the nice list. Christmas is all about cheer and the joy of giving. During Diwali, a large number of toy guns are sold. During Holi, an equally large amount of water pistols are sold. Many festivals imply holidays, which in turn means that lots of movie releases, concerts and shows take place during these auspicious occasions. In almost all these festivals, lots of retailers in malls, shops, online and in showrooms provide generous discounts on their products. Social media is abuzz with tweets, stories, live updates, news, pictures and videos shared from various platforms. In many such ways, festivals have also become a kind of trend.
Festivals are ideal platforms for various arts and cultural activities to flourish. In harvest festivals such as Onam, Pongal, Sankranti etc, the porches of houses and several other places are decorated with elaborate flower arrangements and ‘rangoli’. In festivals such as Ganesh Chaturty, beautiful idols of lord Ganesha are made by skilled artists and decorated at home by worshippers. Millions of ‘Rakhis’, unique in design, are produced for the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, a festival that celebrates the bond between brother and sister. On Easter, millions of eggs are painted worldwide. These are but a few examples.
Festivals are a lot more than just celebration an prayers. They bring people closer together, festivals like Thanksgiving is enjoyed by families or a group of people sitting around a table to share a meal. Similar festivals like Christmas, Janmashtami, Navratri etc. symbolize certain vales and events that shaped our history or mythology. Festivals bring color and joy into the mundane lives of people. They remind us of our traditions and our ancestry. They teach us valuable life lessons through songs, dances, art and various customs. They encourage us to put aside our differences, come together and enjoy the gift of life.
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