Change Diwali traditions?

Little Nandu was ten years old. His elder sister Krishna was 12. Both were students of an excellent school run by enlightened educationists who believed in high social and moral values of life. The Principal was known as Baba and the teachers were addressed as uncles and aunts. Caning, slapping and punishments were unheard of. In fact if a student made a mistake, he was hugged, kissed and explained why it was a mistake! Then he would be given a special sweet because he was going to be a good boy from that day. Baba once announced a contest at school.

‘You have studied about how the earth needs our help,’ he said. ‘During Diwali we do many things that hurt the environment. Tell us in 5 points how you are going to help Mother Earth this Diwali. Three selected winners will be taken on a special Nature trail during the winter vacation’.

Nandu and Krishna were excited about the contest. They decided to participate as a team. They spent hours discussing how they could change our noisy, pollution filled festival. The joy must not go out of the celebrations, and the traditions must not be forgotten either.

Nandu was flummoxed. ‘Didi, how can I have a Diwali without my crackers and sweets?

Krishna too was worried. ‘I was hoping to buy the new dress I saw in the shop last week. What should I tell Ma?’

After spending an entire afternoon sitting under the trees in the park and breaking their little heads for ideas, Krishna came to a conclusion. She was after all, older and wiser.

‘Let’s write down a list of things we do at Diwali.’

Nandu agreed. ‘Then we can think better.’

Krishna wrote:

1.    Lights. We hang fairy lights on our balcony.

2.    We buy sweets and chocolates to gift relatives.

3.      We buy crackers, new clothes and gold.

4.    We visit our relatives and friends.

5. Many uncles gamble and play cards.

Nandu was worried. ‘We cannot tell them not to play cards, Didi.’

‘Don’t worry, Nandu, playing cards is injurious to their purses not the earth.’  

‘We buy sweets and visit our relatives. That is good.

‘I got it!’ Nandu shouted excitedly.

‘We will not switch on the electric bulbs and fairy lights. We can save electricity.’

‘Nandu, you are a genius. Why didn’t I think of it?’

‘Didi, you and Ma light oil lamps anyway.’

‘Yes, but Nandu, do you remember that poem which says happiness is a lamp which lights up a life?

‘How?’

‘Visit children in hospitals. Sing songs for them. And maybe take some sweets.’

‘Didi we can visit the grandpas and grandmas in the old age homes.’

‘Yes, of course. Why didn’t I think of it first?’

‘No visits to friends?’

‘No Nandu, we have to visit them on Diwali but we can go earlier to the hospital. I am still worried about my new dress.

‘And I am wondering what to do without my crackers.’

‘I got it.’ Krishna was excited. ‘A big shop advertised that they would donate our old clothes to charity and give a discount on new clothes.

‘So what if you don’t like the dresses in that shop?’

‘No, I don’t mean that. I will donate my old dresses at the hospital or an orphanage. And then buy one for myself.

‘Ok, now think of crackers, Didi.’

‘Nothing can really replace that. Remember, Dad was complaining that uncles in the park were laughing like bursts of crackers.’

‘Hey. That is an idea. People have stopped laughing. Laugh like bursts of crackers. It will spread happiness...

“and headaches too.’

‘What about sparklers and phooljadis?’

‘What is phooljadis in English?’

‘Flower pots’.

Krishna jumped up delighted.

‘Nandu, let us gift real flower pots instead of phool jadis.

‘No noise, danger of fire or burns.’

‘No smoke’.

Nandu and Krishna laughed out aloud.

‘And now, gold. Ma buys it and then keeps it in the safe.’

‘Why is gold precious?’

‘It is expensive. It is like a saving for the future. So Ma is keeping it safe for the future.’

‘Didi, do you know what you said just now? Saving for the future.’

‘So?’

‘That is exactly what Vidya Aunty said about water. If we use up all the water we may have nothing left for the future.’

‘That makes it as precious as gold’.

‘Then that should be our fifth point. How do we make it a part of the celebrations?’

‘Mmmm...I know. Krishna became thoughtful.

On the final day Nandu and Krishna were ready with their list and a surprise packet. When their turn came, Nandu read out the list.

1. Don’t waste electricity. Light only oil lamps in mud diyas.

Krishna placed a row of diyas filled with oil and lit them. Nandu continued to read.

  Light a lamp of happiness in other’s lives by visiting   the sick and the old. ’

2.Donate a dress for every new one you buy.’

Krishna took out four old dresses tied with a ribbon and kept them on the table.

3. Laugh like bursts of crackers. It will give happiness not smoke.

Nandu and Krishna burst into laughter. Surprised, everyone around also burst into loud laughter with them.

4.    Give real flower pots instead lighting phooljadis.

Krishna took out a small pot with a flowering plant and gave her class teacher.

5. Water is now more precious than gold. Save water and   guard it with your life.

Krishna took out small bottles of water painted with gold paint. Nandu and she gifted one to each teacher.

Every one clapped and Baba gave them a special hug. The winners went to JimCorbettPark where they saw tigers a few feet from their perch!