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Celebrating a Diwali Without Crackers

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Diwali, the festival of lights, somewhere down the lane, ended up becoming the festival of crackers. As the black clouds of pollution loom over us, it’s time to look at other alternatives for spending the day with the same excitement and charm.

Diwali is one of India’s most favourite festivals. Houses are lit up, markets are bustling with sweets and Rangoli and everyone around you is prepping up their Instagram-ready outfits. Even if you might not be ready to soak in the festivity yet, the sight of lights everywhere are definitely ‘guiding you home’; instantly lifting up your mood.

The morning after Diwali, however, is a mess. After you finally wake up at noon, the sight that beholds you is of the remnants of the burnt crackers everyone paid thousands for. Ironically, while the days prior Diwali are spent cleaning the house, all of our philosophies die a sorry death when it comes to the waste accumulated through crackers.

This Diwali, save yourself and your loved ones from the sight (and the polluted air weeks after) and spend this Diwali season cracker-free! Here are a few ways in which you could spend your day:

  1. Go creative! Make Rangolis!

This Diwali, bring out your inner artist. Think out of the box, and instead of the stencils found in the market and create your own designs. Use colours, flowers, and paints to decorate your house and impress your parents!

  1. Exchange Meaningful Gifts!

Instead of the generic box of Soan-Papdi and dry fruits, gift your loved ones something personal. Spend this Diwali exchanging gifts that last longer than that box of laddoos.  Light up your siblings’ Diwali with that handmade photo frame. Visit your relatives and leave your mark on the presents you give. Do something that leaves a mark on others and makes your heart happy!

  1. Help the underprivileged:

Instead of spending thousands of rupees on crackers, this Diwali make a difference. DO your bit to light up the lives of people around you who might not be able to do it by themselves. Diwali is the perfect season for buying or donating winter necessities and food. You can even visit an orphanage, share your joy and even get gifts for people there. Nothing in the world would bring you more happiness than the twinkle in the other person’s eyes!

  1. Take Care of Stray Animals:

What is fun for you might not be as fun for your pawed pals. The street animals suffer terribly by getting caught up in the web of smoke and noise of the festival. Hang up feeders for birds and leave food for the cats and dogs in your neighbourhood. Provide your canine and feline friends the warmth and love they deserve instead of bursting crackers! You can even visit shelters if you have them around you and spend the festival with ‘woofs’ instead of ‘booms’.

  1. Catch up with friends and family

Maybe you are a student who had to stay back in their hostel because of classes and pending assignments or maybe you’re some who’s visited their hometown after ages. What better festival to catch up with friends, old and new, than Diwali? Call up your friends, plan a get-together, and spend the day basking in the stories and laughter of your friends. Strengthen the new friendships and revive the old ones.

  1. Learn and play card games!

This is the perfect season for you to show how gifted you are in Teen Patti. Show your proficiency or learn new card games for the night to ensure a night full of chaos and laughter, and perhaps a bitter uncle or two. Moreover, who knows you might even end up winning money?  Just be careful with that confidence though; you might as easily go broke too!

This Diwali, opt for less harmful alternatives and make the festival better for your loved ones (and their pets!)

 

Image credits: Monsoon Kitchen

Satviki Sanjay

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Arts & Culture

Auburn Umbrella: Dress Festive With Comfort

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This festival season, opt for outfits that do not compromise your comfort for style. 

From Durga Pujo to Diwali, October remains a month of celebration, of sweets, of lights and beautifully dressed people. From the bold sarees and big bindis to ghagra-choli and stilettoes, it is the month where everyone goes all-out to show their best fashion game.

However, when you are visiting your fifth relative of the night, and have to laugh through the pain of your tightly tied lehenga, you cannot help but wish that you were at home, in your comfiest pair of pyjamas instead.

Since fashion gets a little overbearing and tiring in the season, here are a few tips for you to look your best with comfort:

Lighter Fabrics 

Opt for lighter fabrics like chiffon, linen and cotton-silk, instead of your usual heavier silks. Kurtis and sarees in linen and chiffon are the epitome of being breezy with style. Lehengas and kurtis paired with statement accessories and a catchy hairdo make your outfit different and your day a lot better.

Drop thrints instead of embellishments 

Look for clothes that are heavy in print instead of one with embellishments, such as sequins or embroidery. this not only makes your outfit softer to wear but also makes it eye catching. You can choose from prints such as kalamkari, batik, indigo and ikat. Batik sarees and skirts, indigo kurtis with palazzos, kalamkari kurtas with churidars and ikat shirts are some of the most popular outfit choices. The best way to style them is to let your print stand out on their own.

Go wild with accessories

Choose outfits that are simpler on clothes and heavier on accessories. You can pair plain white or coloured kurtis with big earrings, or a simple saree with a statement necklace. Nose rings have also become a popular accessory these says as hey can help enhance your face. Whatever you choose, let your accessories become the highlight of the outfit.

Drop the chunni

This Diwali, style your salwar kurtas and lehenga cholis without the dupattas and let your hand be free for that extra gol gappa or diya. In most cases, dupatta becomes a burden to carry and does not adsd alot to ones outfit. Outfits sans chunnis has become a a popular choice esp among the younger crowd.

So this October, bring out your festive spirit in outfits that don’t make you lose out on your comfort. Experiment with your looks, enjoy your celebrations in a better oood and let your body and feet thank you later.

Featured Image Credits: Maumil Mehraj

Satviki Sanjay 

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DUB Speak

Switching over to Examination Mode Post Diwali

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Deepawali is a flabbergasting time- a time full of fairy lights, festivities, and of course, tonnes of sweets. It is an enigmatical event, the hangover of which persists days after it is gone.

Given our date sheets this semester, and the fact that majority of us haven’t touched our textbooks (if you’ve bought them, that is), it is high time that we shift the throttle into examination gear. I totally agree that everything that I have written so far sounds nothing like feasible, since “we solemnly swear we’re up to no good”, but trust me, these ideas have been proven to help with increased concentration.

 

  • Check your syllabus
    Let us face it- we’re all enrolled into a University where not only do we cut classes, but majority of us do not have even the slightest idea about the scope of the syllabus. Therefore, the first step to take when prepping your mind to begin preparation for examinations is to check what, and how much, you are supposed to study. Obviously, you wouldn’t want to read extra chapters, now would you?

 

  • Buy the books
    One you know what your syllabus is, the next step is to buy the books. It may sound like a lot of work, getting into queues at book stores and procuring your books, but this is necessary.

 

  • Make your mood
    Having procured all the necessary material, prepare your mood. Remind yourself on a daily basis that the exam season has actually dawned upon us, and it is high time you start burning the midnight oil. You can do this in many ways, for example, you can draft a schedule, which reminds you of the upcoming examinations as soon as you look at it.

 

  • Never ask your friends how much they have studied
    One golden rule to always keep in mind- never, ever, ask your friends about how much they have studied because one thing is a fact- they never tell you the truth. We all have friends who say they have not studied anything for the exams, but score the highest. Thus, keep away from such ‘shallow’ people- we don’t need more negativity in our lives .

 

  • Study
    Once you’re done with all the preparations, you’re left with one last step- STUDY. For obvious reasons, nothing else can help you out other than putting effort into preparing for the upcoming examinations. Put in as much perseverance as you can, for it is a matter of another 15 days, after that period lies the golden age.

 

Feature Image Credits: Study.com 
Aashish Jain
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DUB Speak

Diwali Season for the Atheist

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It is well known that its hard to be an atheist in a country like India, where 99.76% of people have strong religious identities and beliefs. These hardships increase tenfold during- you guessed it- festive holidays.

In a very informal study of those in my immediate friend circle, I realised that people who don’t necessarily believe in God, or are not even fully aware of the story of Ramayana – basically moderate or soft atheists, still enjoy Diwali. For all Indians, Diwali is more than a religious holiday, it provides motivation to clean your dwellings, a reason get dressed in traditional clothes (no matter how uncomfortable and restraining) and an excuse to laze around and play cards with your near and dear ones. Moderate atheists are usually seen having the best time, cooperating with most of the traditions, albeit with sly remarks about how compulsive their parents are.

Sure, it seems harmless so far. But for a devout atheist, things are a little different. Diwali seems synonymous to coercion and hypocrisy. This year I stood first hand witness to people burning crackers while wearing anti pollution face masks, my family members dancing to the most demeaning of Bollywood item numbers, and being told from  at least four different sources to, “Smile more, beta”.

And I’m sure its the same story everywhere. Your average Diwali starts with you being forced to sit in a pooja, meeting people you haven’t seen since last years Diwali, and being expected to spend exorbitant amounts of money on things that are really unnecessary. Any rational person may still find indulging and complying with your family a fair trade off, given how much they do for you. And that does sound fair.

But living in the world of #metoo, sensitisation and libertarianism, festivals manifest themselves into culture wars. Even a two-day period of compliance with religious hypocrisy becomes a source of moral panic. For the first time in history, the moralizers are young people, and not their parents. Each time I am forced to dance to a Yo Yo Honey Singh song or waste food as offerings to idols, I spiral into existentialism and despair. I feel troubled because I think wastefulness in the name of religion is wrong. And I’d rather protest than be a silent onlooker (even if that protesting is limited to declining party invitations, not lighting lamps or eating Diwali sweets).

Because at the end of the day, the representation my generation has fought for is more important to me than family values. It can be said that I’m evaluating culture for it’s moral correctness more than for it’s sentiment. But that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make as a devout atheist.

So long, a Not So Happy Diwali.

Feature Image Credits – Surabhi Khare for DU Beat.

Nikita Bhatia

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DUB Speak

A Letter To All Those Who Celebrated Diwali Away From Home

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The festive season can be a daunting time for all those who celebrated it away from home. In this festival of lights, it is important to realise that home is where the heart is, and not within those four walls.

It is that time of the year when every house on the street is adorned with a variety of fairy lights, the smell of newly made sweets wafts through the house, filling all corners and the soul of those it reaches, and everybody dons their best traditional wear. The sky is illuminated with the burst of a thousand crackers. The diyas are lighted one by one with the belief that they will ward off the negativity, and welcome the godly spirits. Diwali is a feeling that is often associated with being home and celebrating it with your loved ones.
For all those who celebrated Diwali away from home this year, I know how it feels. I know that you craved to be back
home, be just as much a part of this festival as much as you’ve been for the past 18 years of your life. You longed to
help your mother with the rangolis, taste the sweets while they were still being made, embellish the house with lights and flowers, and wake up in your own bed that very day. It might have been a daunting task to even get through the day without having any family around. Everything about it, all that you encounter on the street, might just fill you with nostalgia and longing. You might have stayed in your cocoon till the Diwali madness passed and the world returned to its ordinary workings. You might have considered passing your time by resorting to Netflix or other activities that you engage in daily, probably giving you the illusion that that day might just not be any different from any other day in the year. The prospect of staying in was any way gloomier than going out and celebrating like everyone else did in Diwali.

Fun is in company. The new city would probably not carry the same charm, your roommates probably won’t share your blood, and your hostel room might have just seemed too small and suffocating. In other words, it just wouldn’t have been home. However, it is important to believe that celebration comes in all shapes and forms and should never be restricted. Just because you’ve known something to exist in a certain way, does not mean that you cease to modify it with time. Your new city pulls you in its embrace; unfamiliarity might seem familiar to you eventually. Your
roommates will always be your family, home away from home. Your hostel room might only serve the purpose of
you sleeping after a long tiresome day, but it will become a place that holds all kinds of bittersweet memories. It will be home, even though it is hard to believe so right now.

Feature Image Credits: Daily Express

Anoushka Singh
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Uncategorized

Auburn: Tips to Mix Traditional Elements with Modern Outfits

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Diwali is here, and so is the burden of selecting the perfect festive outfit. This Diwali, revamp your Diwali look by trying out this eclectic mix.

While the traditional and modern combination of clothing has been quite common in our smart casual routine, the festival puts up a lot of pressure as everyone tries to incorporate something new and different.
Follow some of the tips given below and enchant the Diwali season!
1. Denims ain’t a worry!
Denims are by far the most versatile clothing you can get your hands on, and for what they are worth, a great investment. If you’re looking for trying out a new look, but want to be on a safer side, choosing denims is always an ideal option. It can be the typical denim jeans with a kurta, or you can add more flair to your outfit! Try incorporating your kurtas with bell bottoms or flared jeans to give a free look. You can also use a traditional blouse as a crop top and with a dupatta alongside to create a late 90s parallels fashion look. Denim jackets can also be used in a creative way. You can pair it up with an anarkali or an A line Kurti or for that matter, even a ghagra–choli to give a bohemian vibe throughout.
Auburn tip: Load up on accessories. Heavy earrings or oxidized silver necklaces always work great with denims. This look definitely qualifies as a casual look, so choose it for a light function!
IMAGE 1

Image Credits: Thatbohogirl on instagram.com
2. Style your dresses in a more ‘desi’ manner
Dresses are another versatile option. You can create a more authentic and desi look with dresses. Pair up any of your favourite dresses with a palazzo or ‘churidaar’, to create a ‘kurti’ effect. To complete the look, a phulkari dupatta would be an ideal choice. You can also pair it up with a maxi skirt to give a more free-spirited look.
Auburn tip: Styling A-line or skater dresses in solid colours along with a patterned or a simple palazzo or salwar, would make for a good outfit choice.
IMAGE 3

Image Credits: Desidrapes on instagram.com

3. Crop top factor
To add a more Bollywood-ish feel to your festive season, pair up your crop top with a ghagra and voila: there is a trendy outfit. The best part about using this as a style is the versatility and so many different outfit combinations possible.

Auburn tip: a black crop top and black maxi can be paired alongside a heavy dupatta for a nice Diwali Party outfit or a nighttime outfit.
IMAGE 4

Image Credits: Rasnabhasin on instagram.com

4. When formals can become desi
Formals are restricted apparel, however, this Diwali, witness your formals being out to good use. Formal trousers can be a great option to pair up with your kurtis. A formal top can be tucked unevenly to create a messy look, pairing it up with a ghagra and jewellery.
Auburn tip: choose a white formal top along with a patterned skirt to create the ideal look.
IMAGE 5

Image Credits: Thatbohogirl on instagram.com

5. Saree with western tops
While traditional blouse sets in bell sleeves or gingham prints are worn in plenty, have you ever thought of a little mix and match with a saree? A bell sleeved crop top and saree would be a great combination if you’re looking for something new. Gingham prints, patterned t-shirts, kurtis, they can all be paired with a saree. It is also a
comfortable choice.
IMAGE 6

Image Credits: Thatbohogirl on instagram.com
6. Sparkle in Satin
While Satin is a more retro look outfit combination, jazz it up by pairing a satin top with a ghagra or with traditional palazzos to give a more ethnic look. An off-shoulder satin top or a strip-sleeved crop top, sparkle and add more glow to your outfit!
7. Wrap yourself in wraps and wraps
As marvellous and fun it is to wear wrap skirts and tops, this Diwali adds a new twist as we strike equilibrium to the best of both the worlds. Pair up your wrap top with ghagras or your crop tops with your wrap skirts to give a good mix and match look. Be cautious while choosing the right combination. You can get even more daring and combine the two, to have a full on wrap effect!
8. Mix and match accessories
Accessories make or break your outfit. To add a mix and match vibe, add hoops to your jewellery collection and flaunt the hoops with your outfits. Hoop earrings are a component which goes well with almost anything. Chunky necklaces, anklets and bracelets along with rings should always be in handy during a fashion emergency. They amplify your look!
Keep a stylish collection of bindi as well to highlight your eye area.

Hence, this Diwali destroy all evil by being the daring one, especially while choosing your outfits!
Feature Image credits: Thatbohogirl on instagram.com

Additional Image Credits: Rasna Bhasin, Thatbohogirl, Desidrapes on instagram.com
Avnika Chhikara
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Uncategorized

Photography Tips To Light Up Your Diwali

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Diwali comes as a blessing for your Instagram feed. Here are some tips to help polish your technical knowledge and gain those followers.

In the words of Ralph Hattersly, “We are making photographs to understand what our lives mean to us.” They are little packets of recollections that we can always go back to for joy and comfort. The essence of Diwali lies in the words ‘family’ and ‘bonding.’ Here are some tips to capture those memories and resurrect them through photographs.
Bokeh
Bokeh is the light which is not focused, so the sharp edges get blurred, creating aesthetics which are unmatched! This is a no-brainer because Diwali translates to light, and what better way to capture it than using Bokeh? Turn on your manual focus and slide that focus ring until you see beautiful Bokeh on your screen/viewfinder. A very interesting way of clicking Bokeh is to mix other elements than light. For example, water or fire. You can cut the shape you want your Bokeh to be on a piece of cardboard, place it between your camera body opening and lens and get your own Bokeh.

Bokeh3_Surabhi

 

Image Credits: Surabhi Khare for DU Beat
Street
With all the decorations that go into the festival, it is highly likely that you will find good shots at random public places. You can use techniques like time-lapse and still life on the street. You can set your shutter speed to 3-5seconds and aperture at f/18-22 at 100 ISO for some time-lapse photography at night. This will help you achieve crisp photographs with movement in them.

street1_Vaibhav

 

 

Image Credits: Vaibhav Tekchandani for DU Beat

Décor
The hours and days spent on the Diwali décor must be immortalised by being captured. You can give different backgrounds while clicking a macro shot of decorations. It is easy to identify different patterns in the decorations. Another way to amp your aesthetic is to collect different objects together and arrange them in an artistic manner. Rangolis can give the best pictures if shot from the top down (flat lay) angle. Lights can also be used to create leading lines in your picture. A simple way is to hold one corner of the light string in your hand and lead the focus of the picture towards the other corner of the string.

Decorations_Surabhi

 

Image Credits: Surabhi Khare for DU Beat
Long exposure
While clicking the picture, the photo is continuously being captured for an extended time, ranging from 1-30 seconds.
The scope of clicking long exposure photographs increases significantly during Diwali. Especially with crackers, each cracker will give you a different picture. Set your camera with a shutter speed of 10-15 seconds, aperture f/20-22 and ISO100, after clicking the shutter you can go crazy in front of your camera along with a sparkler for beautiful trails of sparklers. Use different crackers for different results.

Long Exposure 1_Surabhi

 

Image Credits: Surabhi Khare for DU Beat

 

Food
Indian food is colourful and dramatic. To get perfect food pictures, you have to take the shot from the perfect angle. Overhead, 3/4 and the horizon angles are the best three angles to capture food. Overhead angle is 90 degrees and is extremely popular on Instagram. It can be easily captured with phones as phones have a wider angle camera. The 3/4 angle is when your camera is placed anywhere from 25 to 75 degrees in relation to your subject. The horizon or the straight up angle is the best when you are shooting tall foods. To ameliorate the effect, decorate your food and the space around it as well. Using rustic table surfaces, visually appealing candles, or just creating negative space on the platter will do wonders for your photographs. Thus equipped, the pictures will turn out great and you will have bragging rights over the best Diwali pictures. Have fun, keep clicking, and happy Diwali!

Food2_Surabhi

 

Image Credits: Surabhi Khare for DU Beat

 

Feature Image Credits: Surabhi Khare for DU Beat

Maumil Mehraj

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Vaibhav Tekchandani

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Surabhi Khare

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Bazinga

Bazinga: Delhi University to Organize a Combined Diwali Mela

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Choosing which college to go to for the Diwali Mela has gotten a ton easier! Delhi University is all set to organize a combined Diwali Mela for all colleges!

The Diwali Mela is the most cherished activity in the DU circuit around the type of the festival of lights. Every college conducts its own Diwali Mela, however, this year the University has declared that it plans to hold a combined Diwali Mela for all the colleges.

The statement was issued on 22nd October 2018, wherein provisions are being made to ensure that the Diwali Mela is conducted as a whole or a combined event for all the colleges associated with the varsity. The initial outlay determined how big arenas like Pragati Maidan or Jawahar Lal Nehru stadium stand as good venue options giving ample amounts of space to accommodate all the colleges.
The reason behind this is to ensure uniformity and discipline in the way these events are run. A messy traffic situation develops outside every college, during Diwali Mela season, causing hindrance to the street activity, especially for the centrally located colleges. Previous years have seen huge breakouts in term of crowd, leading to Delhi Police being asked for help to maintain the decorum.
The plan is set to be put into action for the next Diwali Mela, i.e. 2019, spanning two days. All colleges are invited to participate in it. The Students’ Union committees of the colleges would have to apply to the newly set up University Events Organizing Committee (UEOC). Reena Mehta, an Economics Professor at Hansraj College has been appointed as the head of the committee. She was quoted by DU Beat as saying, “All colleges need to provide information about the products they will be showcasing
and the number of stalls they would be requiring. This information should be communicated one month prior to the decision date of the Mela.”
An Organising Committee will be formed consisting of selected students from DU Colleges. The OC participants will be issued certificates acknowledging their efforts to organize the event. The music societies will orchestrate a concert to demarcate the end of the day through complied performances and the photography societies will document the
event.
Rihana Mishra, a second year student of LSR, says, “Even though many students will go against this decision as the colleges would wish to keep it at their own individual level, when seen from a bigger perspective, it is a good way to assemble the best of DU under one roof, hustle free!”

So what are your views regarding this latest decision? Let us know!

Disclaimer: Bazinga is our weekly column of almost believable fake news. It is only meant to be appreciated and not accepted.

 

Feature Image Credits: So Delhi 

Avnika Chhikara
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The Auburn Umbrella

Auburn Umbrella: Diwali Look Book 2018

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Here’s looking at various fashion trends that will help you up your style game instantly and let you be the Pataka that you are.

Diwali is right around the corner and everyone is frantically browsing through the various fashion trends, looking for inspiration online, and scouring the streets of Chandni Chowk for their desired outfit. There seems to be no end to this madness that engulfs people every year at this time.

Let us look at some ways that could really help you to make a style statement:

 

  1. Sarees
    This Indian attire exuberates elegance and never goes out of style. The timelessness of a saree is what makes it a personal favourite. Go through your mother’s saree collection and grab what suits you best. You could either opt for a silk one to amplify the elegance or pick up a more modern and sheer silhouette like chiffon to look chic. You can even experiment with the draping techniques. Blouses can be substituted with printed, contrasting crop tops, or if you like, go for a blouse cut that pleases you the most.

 

  1. Palazzos

It baffles me time and again how comfortable palazzo can be. Either opt for a plain Kurta or a tank top and printed, colourful palazzo or a Kurta that is rather heavy and pair it up with complementing, plain palazzo. You can add a scarf to this mix and you would be Diwali ready. A variety of these could be picked up at Delhi Haat or Sarojini, or even chains like Westside.

 

  1. Jhumkas

If there is one accessory that could complete your whole look, it would probably be Jhumkas. To add that extra flash and traditional touch to the whole attire you can pick these up on the basis of size and colour depending on your attire as a whole. Understated silver ones as opposed to a chunkier colourful one might do the trick if you are not going for something too dressy. Jhumkas can easily be bought at Lajpat Nagar, Chandni Chowk, and Sarojini.

 

  1. Juttis or Kulhapuris

It is better if you opt for flats over heels, as they would be more comfortable and always provide you with the mobility that this festival demands. Walking around in heels for hours at a stretch can be severely uncomfortable and there are a number of medical issues that sprout up due to its prolonged usage. At this point, it is better to go for Juttis or Kolhapuris that might look even chic and fashionable.

This Diwali, let’s vow to not burst patakas, but rather be one. Happy Diwali!

Feature Image Credits: Fashion Buzzer

 

Anoushka Singh

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Arts & Culture

The Darker Side of Diwali

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All of us perceive Diwali as the festival of lights, celebrating and rejoicing on the auspicious occasion. However, here’s perusing a more sinister side to the story.

Diwali is one of the biggest festivals in India. The entire country celebrates this festival in a grand manner. From big poojas, decorated lights, burning crackers to endless joy, this festival has everything to be thrilled about. However, it has a different side attached to it. The side that everyone knows and talks about but nothing is done in its regard.

There are two main constituents of this side. One is the heavy loss of money and life that occurs due to countless accidents while the other is the employment of child laborers in the manufacturing of firecrackers. In 2016, Delhi recorded over 350 minor fires occurred in Diwali as reported by The Indian Express. The victims of these accidents sustained minor injuries. Talking about major loss of property and life, we have had terrible experiences in the past. The infamous Sivakasi case, where one of the biggest fireworks manufacturing factories in Tamil Nadu was turned into rubble after an explosion, is a remnant of the horror. More than 30 people died in the accident. A major fire destroyed the main firecracker market in Aurangabad last year.

We seemed to have been facing the consequences of our ignorance and actions but we just don’t seem to learn from it. Firecrackers are entertaining but very dangerous. And the worst part is that everyone is conscious of the damage it seems to inflict on lives. Even though we handle the sale and burning of crackers carelessly resulting in major accidents. It seems that we have accepted the fact that such incidents will occur every year. The only question is what place will it happen in the next time? Crores of rupees are lost every year just due to poor management of the manufacturing or the selling process of these crackers. And yet, it is all but forgotten in less than a year.

Coming to the second constituent, it must be said that it is basically a mix of helplessness and mercilessness. There are hundreds that strive hard to live every day. Such poor families want to earn as many pennies as they can to ensure they can eat enough. And this is when parents of children belonging to such families send them to firecracker manufacturing units. The Diwali season is marked by increased sales and consumption and so, these families see this festival as a good opportunity to make some good amount of money.

Without any training or knowledge, these children sit and work in dingy cells endlessly. Working with explosive dust and breathing it all day long, these children suffer from diseases and even risk their lives in severe cases. Even after the ban on child labor by the Indian government, people are willing to mercilessly employ such young children for a simple motive; higher profits. Farrukh Nagar in Ghaziabad is one such hub of firework manufacturing where hundreds of children burn their childhood for the sake of money to feed their bellies. Is this scenario not a mix of helplessness and mercilessness?

Diwali is a holy occasion with great significance. It is the celebration of the great Indian history and culture promoting goodness and moral values. And like any other festival, there are certain customs that need to be followed. But we need to ask ourselves how are we really celebrating our Diwali? For how long are we going to light up our houses at the cost of someone’s life? Until and unless we don’t answer these questions and work for a change, the festival of lights won’t really be bright.

 

Feature Image Credits: humanitycollege.org

Karan Singhania
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