It was Sunday morning, the day most of the people look forward to. But it was not the case with Razia. She woke up heavy-heartedly. Reason- It was Diwali time, and unfortunately due to some or the other reason, she always finds herself in her hometown, Delhi, which off late has been popularly known as the 'gas chamber'.
Being a Muslim girl never stood in her way of celebrating Diwali with fervour and zeal. She buys new clothes, embellishes her house with some of her handmade craft materials and eats those savoury sweets along with her family. She goes to the place of her Hindu friends, wish all of them and would have a blast! But the only thing with which she maintains a certain amount of distance is the firecrackers. Nearly half of Delhi's kids suffer from 'severe' lung problems due to the deteriorating air quality and Razia is one among those hugely populated children who fall in this unfortunate category. She suffers from asthma, and therefore can't stand pollution.
But this time, she hopes that the situation would improve after the Apex Court has banned the sale of firecrackers in the national capital albeit she doubts regarding its executution. She feels that burning firecrackers only for transitory pleasure which would eventually lead to the reason behind the sorrow of so many kids who'd be facing health issues is completely irrational. She had even read that the pollution caused during the Diwali days causes 400 premature deaths. Even the decision of the highest judicial forum is being seen as communal, where the fanatic Hindus are alleging that their religious festivals are being targeted continuously while leaving the festivals of other religions unscathed. She is not able to comprehend some of the hypocritical things which are happening around her:
1) Many so called progressive Hindus complained about the disturbance caused by the Azaan (the Islamic call to worship) with its sound blaring out of the loudspeakers which is kept atop the mosques. They stated about its high decibels and the amount of noise pollution it causes to the surrounding ambiance.
She wonders why the very same so called progressive Hindus take a backseat when it comes to the issue of the gargantuan noise pollution caused by the burning of firecrackers during Diwali time.
Being a Muslim girl never stood in her way of celebrating Diwali with fervour and zeal. She buys new clothes, embellishes her house with some of her handmade craft materials and eats those savoury sweets along with her family. She goes to the place of her Hindu friends, wish all of them and would have a blast! But the only thing with which she maintains a certain amount of distance is the firecrackers. Nearly half of Delhi's kids suffer from 'severe' lung problems due to the deteriorating air quality and Razia is one among those hugely populated children who fall in this unfortunate category. She suffers from asthma, and therefore can't stand pollution.
But this time, she hopes that the situation would improve after the Apex Court has banned the sale of firecrackers in the national capital albeit she doubts regarding its executution. She feels that burning firecrackers only for transitory pleasure which would eventually lead to the reason behind the sorrow of so many kids who'd be facing health issues is completely irrational. She had even read that the pollution caused during the Diwali days causes 400 premature deaths. Even the decision of the highest judicial forum is being seen as communal, where the fanatic Hindus are alleging that their religious festivals are being targeted continuously while leaving the festivals of other religions unscathed. She is not able to comprehend some of the hypocritical things which are happening around her:
She wonders why the very same so called progressive Hindus take a backseat when it comes to the issue of the gargantuan noise pollution caused by the burning of firecrackers during Diwali time.
2) These progressive Hindus like to see positive reforms happening in almost all the religions, with the latest example being that of Triple Talaaq where these progressive Hindus stood unequivocally for the protection of the rights of the women and challenged the Muslim Personal Board for its discrimination towards women. But when it comes to reforming the traditional malpractices of the Hindu festivals which are nowhere mentioned in its scriptures, the progressive Hindus again take a backseat (as if it is the most comfortable position to be in at that point of time). Pollution does not make any discrimination between Hindus and Muslims. They cause equal harm to people no matter which religion they practise.
3) In Vedas, it is clearly mentioned that 'Air' is one of the five elements or pancha mahabhuta. So why are these people hell bent in choking this element and jeopardising its very own freshness and existence.?
3) In Vedas, it is clearly mentioned that 'Air' is one of the five elements or pancha mahabhuta. So why are these people hell bent in choking this element and jeopardising its very own freshness and existence.?
As Twinkle Khanna said " Let the outdated tradition go up in smoke".
Hope Razia would be able to breath some fresh air.
Hope her asthma problems will soon get cured.
Hope the progressive Hindus will do the needful.
Happy Diwali!
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