So, what can we do to reduce noise, pollution this Deepavali/Diwali?

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Running a tube amplifier for 4 hours a day through out the year cause more environmental pollution than bursting firecrackers for a day imo. So do I stop listening to music?
 
keith_correa said:
I remember when I was little and out of the blue my late father started the practice of lighting a little bunch of crackers after we came home post midnight Mass on Christmas day. He used to encourage me to light the crackers and make some noise. I always refused because to my mind it was not fair to wake people up from sleep. I used to sulk and tell him that we will make "noise" the next morning but for some petty reason in his mind he insisted that it be done after the witching hour. I won eventually! The reason I cite this, is for you all to know that I was a bit of a di*# then too and am a bigger one now. ;)
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I have read this many years ago why Diwali is celebrated -
The demon king Ravana was slayed during Vijaydashami ( Dusherra). So Lord Rama has to return to his kingdom at Ayodhya along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana. Unfortunately there were no Google maps available those days. Fortunately Ravana had an aeroplane named Pushpakvimana which Lord Rama used for travelling from Lanka to Ayodhya.

As you know Diwali is on a Newmoon day ( Amavasya). So you don't have moon light on the nights to show the path. So to light the path from SriLanka to Ayodhya for Rama to see from air Diyas were lit from the previous night itself. The arriva time of Lord Rama at Ayodhya was early morning when everyone would be asleep. So it's was easy to wake everyone up early morning with a fire cracker as they did not have an mobile phone to set their alarm clock. Lord Rama was returning to his Kingdom after 14+ years, so it was obvious that everyone wanted to see him, greet him with sweets, take bath and wear fresh and new clothes to express their happiness and gratitude towards him.

This custom is been followed for past 5000+ years. How much of this is significant for today is still a discussion topic .
 
Hari Iyer said:
I have read this many years ago why Diwali is celebrated -
The demon king Ravana was slayed during Vijaydashami ( Dusherra). So Lord Rama has to return to his kingdom at Ayodhya along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana. Unfortunately there were no Google maps available those days. Fortunately Ravana had an aeroplane named Pushpakvimana which Lord Rama used for travelling from Lanka to Ayodhya.

As you know Diwali is on a Newmoon day ( Amavasya). So you don't have moon light on the nights to show the path. So to light the path from SriLanka to Ayodhya for Rama to see from air Diyas were lit from the previous night itself. The arriva time of Lord Rama at Ayodhya was early morning when everyone would be asleep. So it's was easy to wake everyone up early morning with a fire cracker as they did not have an mobile phone to set their alarm clock. Lord Rama was returning to his Kingdom after 14+ years, so it was obvious that everyone wanted to see him, greet him with sweets, take bath and wear fresh and new clothes to express their happiness and gratitude towards him.

This custom is been followed for past 5000+ years. How much of this is significant for today is still a discussion topic .
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The reason behind celebrating Diwali changes depending which part of our wonderful country one is from. This variety is what makes our country so interesting.
Like many things in audio, each thinks theirs is the right reason. :cool:
 
keith_correa said:
The reason behind celebrating Diwali changes depending which part of our wonderful country one is from. This variety is what makes our country so interesting.
Like many things in audio, each thinks theirs is the right reason. :cool:
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Yep

In the south (TN, KA, AP, TE, KL) the first day is Naraka Chaturdashi.
It celebrates Krishna slaying Narakasura (supposedly an evil king who used to torment his subjects)

In parts of KA, TN, AP, TE, KL the third day is also very significant. Bali Padyami
It celebrates the short arrival of Mahabali to the earthly plane.
Story goes like this (short version):
Mahabali was a very benevolent and just king loved by his subjects. His only fault was 'ahankaar' or in english 'hubris'
Vamana (an avatar of Vishnu) taught him a lesson and pushed him to the netherworld or something.
Mahabali apparently asked for one favor. "Let me come to the earthly plane once a year to see how my subjects are doing"
On this day, Bali Padya, he apparently comes to this earthly plane during dusk for about 45 mins.
Incidently, in KL he also visits during Onam :D

Happy Deepavali!!
Feast with friends and family. Stay safe

Cheers,
Raghu
 
I used to celebrate Diwali with crackers when I was a kid. Now I just celebrate Diwali without crackers cause of a variety of reasons that I haven't seen been refuted. whataboutery doesn't count.

Shouldn't need to say this but I listen to audio with as little volume as possible and nobody was ever bothered.

Pleasantly surprised at the pushback against crackers. I remember years ago this wasn't a huge topic of discussion now I see people posting pictures of their apartment societies celebrating diwali without crackers on social media like insta, reddit.

I guess times are changing. It makes me happy.
 
It is fine if individuals choose their volition to not buy/fire crackers. But to make it a diktat is both completely unconstitutional.
Off late the judiciary has become a seat of high handedness.
 
raghupb said:
Yep

In the south (TN, KA, AP, TE, KL) the first day is Naraka Chaturdashi.
It celebrates Krishna slaying Narakasura (supposedly an evil king who used to torment his subjects)

In parts of KA, TN, AP, TE, KL the third day is also very significant. Bali Padyami
It celebrates the short arrival of Mahabali to the earthly plane.
Story goes like this (short version):
Mahabali was a very benevolent and just king loved by his subjects. His only fault was 'ahankaar' or in english 'hubris'
Vamana (an avatar of Vishnu) taught him a lesson and pushed him to the netherworld or something.
Mahabali apparently asked for one favor. "Let me come to the earthly plane once a year to see how my subjects are doing"
On this day, Bali Padya, he apparently comes to this earthly plane during dusk for about 45 mins.
Incidently, in KL he also visits during Onam :D

Happy Deepavali!!
Feast with friends and family. Stay safe

Cheers,
Raghu
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Even MH/GJ follow the Amavasyant Calendar. Celebrations start on Dhana Trayodashi.
Naraka Chaturdashi also has a connotation of getting out of all that is (narak) evil like bad habits, filth, uncleanness and celebrating all that is good for the self & surrounding.

Kannan said:
It is fine if individuals choose their volition to not buy/fire crackers. But to make it a diktat is both completely unconstitutional.
Off late the judiciary has become a seat of high handedness.
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"Diktat" & "High Handedness" have negative connotations as we have seen.

Individual choice is what is a Gamechanger when it comes to improvement.
Role models are created by Practitioners by Choice not by Enforcement.
Happy that Diwali, Holi, Makar Sankranti give all of us, an opportunity to become Role Models.
 
It’s a festival of light. Light conquering darkness, ignorance, and victory of good over evil. Lamp lighting was and is symbolic of many positive and desirable ideals.

The problem started with the addition of poor quality audio/sound as part of the ritual and what we now know to be polluting means to achieve this … it was fun doing this as a child when the word pollution was not in school curriculum, but not anymore. Seems to me children don’t even like it or want to burn firecrackers anymore. (I have asked 30-40 children- not a scientific study) You can find out for yourself if you wish.

The fact still remains that this is not the only reason for pollution; it’s not even the most polluting human activity as several FM have pointed out. But it is still something that we individually have the power to decide and choose.
Personally I can celebrate this festival very well without creating noise and poisonous smoke that impacts other people and living things.

Evidently It’s tougher for some to give up than it is for others, just like it’s not easy for us to choose between class A and class D or petrol vs EV and buying or consuming Eco friendly products that are more expensive than conventionally produced items. But change is inevitable (India’s commitments on carbon and emissions at CoP26)
Edit: I have removed link to an article which might be perceived as critical by some.

I am delighted we have been able to discuss a variety of view points on this without name calling, insults even as we sometimes disagree with each other. A good start to Deepavali ?
 
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Have we stopped using fuel to commute/travel which happens 24x7x365?
Have we stopped generating non-recyclable garbage?
........................there are n number of such polluting things we are forced to do daily for even our basic survival.

So why stop this 1-day fiasco?
I can understand some curbs in terms of the type of crackers that are produced, but stating pollution, is at best laughable.

I do argue with the youth of today, who claim the reason they quit was due to pollution/child labour etc.
 
Kannan said:
But to make it a diktat is both completely unconstitutional.
Off late the judiciary has become a seat of high handedness.
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The judiciary does not pass judgement of their own accord. There is something filed before them which they have to judge and pass judgement on. They then pass a judgement on the merits of the arguments for and against. Now one can argue on the judgement and claim right or wrong but to call it unconstitutional is incorrect, in my opinion.

BTW, I know for a fact that political parties, make individuals file PIL's in court knowing well what the outcome is going to be which they wanted all along. They do not take a decision on their own because that would alienate their voter base so they take this smart course so that they can blame it on the courts. Very very smart! :p
 
Analogous said:
I am delighted we have been able to discuss a variety of view points on this without name calling, insults even as we sometimes disagree with each other. A good start to Deepavali ?
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Well Said !

As in all emotional topics like faith , love , Vinyl and Vacuum tubes, generalisation rules and impositions dont go very well and the proverbial storm in a teacup is what happens !

Irrespective of when, how or why each of us celebrate it, wishing all of you a wonderful festival


and on a lighter note, How to have an Eco friendly Diwali...

1. Stand in the kitchen.
2. Finish off the Diwali sweets your wife makes.
3. Then say... "My mother makes sweets better than you."

Enjoy the black and blue fireworks...
 
Kannan said:
Have we stopped using fuel to commute/travel which happens 24x7x365?
Have we stopped generating non-recyclable garbage?
........................there are n number of such polluting things we are forced to do daily for even our basic survival.

So why stop this 1-day fiasco?
I can understand some curbs in terms of the type of crackers that are produced, but stating pollution, is at best laughable.

I do argue with the youth of today, who claim the reason they quit was due to pollution/child labour etc.
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I would not put this as a “either/or”
This is one of the many changes we will have to adapt to willingly or unwillingly in the coming months and years.
As you and others had pointed out earlier blanket bans are unpleasant and threaten our democratic rights.

I feel It’s much better to make well informed and wise choices and decisions rather than wait for Governments and courts to act.

I am sure many of us remember when it was normal for people to smoke indoors, on buses, trains and planes. Today knowing what we know about second hand smoke inhalation this behaviour has stopped. It did take legislation and enforcement to achieve this. Was it not good for everyone?
 
Analogous said:
I would not put this as a “either/or”
This is one of the many changes we will have to adapt to willingly or unwillingly in the coming months and years.
As you and others had pointed out earlier blanket bans are unpleasant and threaten our democratic rights.

I feel It’s much better to make well informed and wise choices and decisions rather than wait for Governments and courts to act.

I am sure many of us remember when it was normal for people to smoke indoors, on buses, trains and planes. Today knowing what we know about second hand smoke inhalation this behaviour has stopped. It did take legislation and enforcement to achieve this. Was it not good for everyone?
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When people cant do anything regd GW due to fuel, as many economies would collapse, then they start targeting insignificant buy symbolically high impact contributors like crackers in Diwali.
Thank God, we dont have any festival related to Freons yet. ;)

Instead of encouraging R&D, Govts take simpler way of banning. Viable alternatives happened with biodegradable polythene bags need to be invented/discovered to address the issue of pollution. till then Reuse/Refuse/Reduce is best one can do at least, on personal level.
 
RaahulT said:
When people cant do anything regd GW due to fuel, as many economies would collapse, then they start targeting insignificant buy symbolically high impact contributors like crackers in Diwali.
Thank God, we dont have any festival related to Freons yet. ;)

Instead of encouraging R&D, Govts take simpler way of banning. Viable alternatives happened with biodegradable polythene bags need to be invented/discovered to address the issue of pollution. till then Reuse/Refuse/Reduce is best one can do at least, on personal level.
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Actually governments have been acting on these for a while now. But keeping in mind economics and public sentiments they do it in steps or gradually.

The most dangerous/damaging (green house effect) CFCs are banned since a decade or more. Old and more polluting vehicles are being decommissioned, higher taxation of air travel,

Some states have banned single use plastics (enforcement could have been better) I read that GoI is considering a countrywide ban on single use plastics soon. Not a complete solution but it pushes us towards reuse/recycle a bit more.

I do wish there was better campaigns to inform and educate public on carbon footprints, conscious and responsible consumption, and environmentally friendly choices in all aspects of our lives.

It’s better to make informed decisions than to have it forced on me. But Governments have a duty to take unpopular decisions if the evidence is strong that it’s good for everyone.
 
Analogous said:
I am sure many of us remember when it was normal for people to smoke indoors, on buses, trains and planes. Today knowing what we know about second hand smoke inhalation this behaviour has stopped. It did take legislation and enforcement to achieve this. Was it not good for everyone?
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Not for me! It gets particularly unbearable on long haul flights when the urge hits hard. :D
 
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