Ismart Diwali Sopping: A Sham!!

 

Ismart Diwali Sopping: A Sham!!

Early in the morning, I happened to see a futile edition of the newspaper corresponding to Diwali. The issue was full of advertisements irrespective of the products and their range. As India celebrates freedom of expression, free advise is inevitable. Ever wondered why people gather around parents of unmarried children and childless couples? Make people believe that they are products of “Renaissance”. An old tendency of the newspapers to impart financial knowledge has gone overboard. The advices are cliché and none is novel. 

If a parent or a teacher guides X, it is interference. Selective interference in the name of “expert guidance” is ideal for a X, a new-generation partially westernized Indian. That is the sad part of this very story.

As usual, the papers go on like a struck gramophone, “Spend smart this festive season”... A newspaper’s divergent take on financial advice in addition to their editorials. The very first attack is usually on crackers. A child can mumble extempore over the topic “crackers and their abuse”, as she is schooled from the very first day on a two bigotry grounds - micro-economically, “Daddy’s wallet” and macrocosmically, “environmental foe”. However, some students had been rebels even in schools unfettering the shackles of colonialism. 

Micro-economically, think from the seller’s and the producer’s perspective. They have been into so much hazards to mint little money. Macro-economically, please do not act, pennywise pound foolish as you concentrate on investing in a gadget and miss out the opportunity to educate an unorganised trader or a firework manufacturer. Ponder over the time and money, the investors would have launched to bring out a single product. They commit themselves to their jobs unlike others. Their toil should never perish. If you cannot invest more on crackers, buy a little for some amount. If you are not interested, at least shun your tuitions on crackers to others. 

Scientifically, crackers were burst to keep wild animals away from the fields during harvest. As the season is haunted by mosquitoes and the like insects, crackers came to the aid of the people. My doctor grandfather, known in the locality for his exemplary selfless service, would tell me because he heard this from the rural people in the locality. I was listening to graduate environmentalists despite the ground fact that crackers can kills pests.  Buy crackers from places like Sivakasi as a business circuit can be formed. If so I’ll stop buying newspapers because you need so much water and logs to make them. If you think crackers are noisy, what about the concerts like the one, the elders in my family boast about....mmm... Osibisa that rocked the town with their roar?

Light is psychologically a sign of prosperity and peace. Diyas/vilakku are meant to propagate harmony in the houses of those, who light and the potters’ as well. The idea of resorting to fairy lights may probably hold good but what about the electric tea-lights that are non-reusable? Fire is an ultimate detoxing agent in the universe. Remember us lighting lamps to show our integrity during corona battle towards doctors?  Light lamps to repel mosquitoes so that you need not go for a synthetic repellent.

Choice of cloths. Oho! why are you advocating “economic cloths”? Consumer-centric view should be versatile. Why should you pick a trendy or a fancy ones for parties and birthdays but not silk or indigenous ones for Diwali? Wait. Why didn’t the following idea come to your mind? Stop shelling money on branded clothing and go for indigenous clothing stores and help their livelihood. I am sorry. You are Paavam sorts of thing for you are parasitic on their advertisements. Buy from the local store near you to help that anna earn to buy at least a toffee for his children.

“Eat kannu eat” is a sensation in every Diwali. Sweets are exchanged among people. Workers are acknowledged with sweets, snacks and crackers. Sweets form the part of Diwali celebrations. These “geniuses” speak as if Diwali sweets add up calories, induce insulin, increases pressure and blah, blah, blah. Apparently, muffins, cup cakes, brownies, and processed junk are components of keto or paleo diets and they are to be freely consumed throughout one’s life. Cooking sweets and snacks is an event in the households. Women get together to cook not their favourite munchies but the favourites of their family members. This is not patriarchy or benevolent sexism but selflessness. Probably, sweets and snacks might be good for the liver like chocolates are for heart (Buzzinga) Alert: sarcasm. Respect those, who have strived to cooks sweets to make their ends meet. 

A conclusion could be drawn from the very study, crackers are a bane to the environment on Diwali but on New Years, expos and marriage ceremonies, Chinese crackers replace Sivakasiwale crackers. Prudent fashion is only during Diwali and not for other common modern event. Eating during the four long days can result in health issues but not the sedentary lifestyle that prolongs throughout the year. Happy Diwali everyone. Let this Diwali be pan-benefitting and not self-centred. May this Diwali give us an insight to a varied R&D to meet the sustainability issues that occur during festivals sans counselling. 

Happy Diwali!!