Why say NO to crackers!

Festivals like Diwali has own uniqueness- “it’s a festival of lights” apart from mythological stories, God’s worship, sweets and gifts what we look forward is crackers! As a kid, I used to love bursting crackers. Fine, I was bit afraid and used to be away from bomb, rocket but it was fun. But when I see, today’s kids, all they get from school “say no to crackers”, Government making appeal “lets have a peaceful diwali” and parents saying “crackers are expensive”.

But my question is, why a small kid is stopped to have fun, why s/he is forced to all good deeds, when we as a grown up are still doing what is not good, like not believing in Car pool when going office as we have own ego problem with a colleague. When we don’t have patience and keep doing continuous honking, and when we emit lots of pollution by keeping engine ON on a red light and when we don’t obey order of not smoking in public areas – I wonder! Why a kid is getting mentally prepared that bursting cracker is not a good thing. Why we grown up learn good things first before preaching!

I am not favoring that crackers are good for health or something. All I want is a little bit of fun, which is fine under a secure guidance. I have found today’s kid don’t even know how to light up gas. They never open match box. But if they play, they will learn how to deal with material safely. Watch them, teach them, just like when you were bursting crackers, your elder brother, uncle and dad guided you. Of course do not give them bomb or something to play but let them see the spectacular view of cracker bursting high and opening into an umbrella of colorful embers or lighting their name in air with a sparkler.

I did a small survey of 25-35 yrs old and found most of them enjoyed crackers- Chakri (ground wheel), Anaar (flower pots), Phooljhari (sparklers), fire pencil, rocket, toy train and bomb etc. But over time they got so busy with higher studies, settling in career that they left that sparkling time in their childhood memories but what about today’s kid , are they suppose to just content with ‘made in china’ wires of glowing and dimming lights on their balconies railing? On the name of ‘festival of light’ are they suppose to buy gifts with neon glowing lights or buying them a new PSP game will add extra sparkle and noise?

Fine, there should not be rocket flying in high rise buildings, there should not be crackers bursting in small balcony of 9th floor and no crackers 11 pm onwards but little bit of fun with those colorful sparklers and seeing the sparkling eyes of kid will not make any harm to earth. You can always remorse by planting two trees in your neighborhood or gifting a tulsi plant on this Deepawali. Let’s have a sparkling Diwali!