When we all were kids, we used to look forward to Diwali as a grand festival. Specially for our gang it was big, really big. In ONGC colony Ankleshwar, there were only two places where Diwali was celebrated at its best. One was off course the Multi Storey buildings. Yes, around 20 years ago in a small town of Ankleshwar we had three 10 storey buildings which were called Multi Storey buildings. The second best place for Diwali was the lane where I used to stay. The RH-1 lane. This lane was decorated in lights for the most part of Diwali (for a total of seven to ten days) and appropriately this lane was called the Chandni Chowk of ONGC colony Ankleshwar. All the popular people (yours truly being no exception) were staying at this Chandni chowk. We played cricket the whole day and soon as it got dark, we used to celebrate Diwali by firing crackers. There was a competition as to who has got the most no of crackers and people used to do stunts with the crackers. Our Diwali never ended without firing the crackers at out school ground in ONGC. And then the whole gang visited everyone's house to have those amazing Diwali delicacies. We literally used to empty everything that was served to us by our Auntijies (Moms of our the gang members). Those were amazing days. Nostalgic really.
Diwali 2010 has been so very different. It is really true that as the age catches up we tend to think differently. Diwali celebrations has not been an exception. Its a complete contrast now. The only way to wish the friends on Diwali is sending SMS through mobile or writing on someone's wall for wishing him. Facebook has made things even more simple by allowing us to write what's on our mind and share it with all the friends. Just one line and we wished all our friends. So simple isn't it? Technology has changed everything. Huh !.
Well, I tried to connect to a lot of friends by calling them on the phone. That's only because I was in a very cheerful mood (I did this for the first time this Diwali). And believe me it really made my day. I spent around 3-4 hours talking to all the friends from school, college and my colleagues from ealier and current offices. It felt really nice. And by the time I was exhausted, my Diwali was over. What a strange way to celebrate Diwali one would say. But, believe me, I really enjoyed it. I connected with few of my friends whom I called after so many years. We enjoyed talking after such a long time. I had stopped bursting crackers long back when glory came into our life. (Glory is our 6 yrs old black lab dog and I have another blog post dedicated to him). We have stopped having too much of sweets now just to keep and eye on our calorie intake. No question of visiting anyone's house to have Diwali sweets as that tradition has died completely now a days.
There were certain things which really were of concern for me. I believe this is only because now we are grown ups and mature and we tend to think more rationally. when in the night I looked out of my balcony I could not see anything at a distance of even 50 meters. Reason, there was abundance of smoke in the air. So much smoke as if there was a snowfall. I felt choked. I really started cursing people for bursting so many crackers that the whole atmosphere got smoky. Just a few days ago winter had started in Pune. The Pune weather was getting better and now we ourselves are trying our best to spoil it completely. It was really painful to see all this. The second thing that really shocked me was the amount of electricity being wasted in the name of Diwali. On every floor of my building, people have not spared to illuminate lights in every possible way to attract Goddess Laxmi. So much was the wastage of electricity, that I wished that there should be a total blackout in pune to save wastage of electricity. In the age where global warming is an alarming concern, people are not ready to shed their age old superstitious belief. It was really shocking and painful to see all this from an educated class of people. How can educated people behave so irresponsibly, and that too in a place like pune where there is shortage of electricity. When I discussed this with one of my friends he said you should stop thinking all this. Its not going to help you. People those who can afford will always waste things and they will never care. I had to give up as I knew that common sense is not so common. You can take a thirsty horse to the pond but can't force it to drink the water. Education does the same. It can help you only when you use your common sense with it. I felt frustrated and helpless. But, I decided to write about it in my blog so whosoever reads it at least can give it a thought. Think about it the next time you waste electricity and pollute the environment by bursting unnecessary crackers.
Off course people will say you are the same person who used to waste electricity and burst crakers during Diwali in your childhood. But, my point is, now, that I can understand and can think rationally, I have given up on it completely. At least people who are educated can minimize it if not completely give it up. It would be through our efforts only, that the generations which are following us, will get to see and utilize the natural resources. We have already seen so much imbalance in our atmosphere why are we still not alarmed. Together we have to make an effort and jointly only we can fight to keep the environment healthy. Its all for our good health and for our comsumption only. Its really a wake up call. I hope and wish to see a better Diwali in the year 2011. Smokeless and without wasting too much electricity.
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