Diwali, or Deepavali as we call it in the south, has come and gone. What remains is a lingering tightness in the chest a mild difficulty in breathing.

The rules regarding the celebration of festivities, the times for bursting crackers and the kinds that could be used, were all clearly in print in all the newspapers. Maybe it was on the television too. I no longer watch television news as it is more a shouting match than news, so I wouldn’t know.

Anyway…

The guidelines were out there for all to read, imbibe, and follow. Truth be told, it has been around for a couple of years now. This year it was only a reiteration of the same with some additional precautions. What do you think was the end result? Blatant Disregard By the Public.

Firecrackers were being burst well beyond the approved time limit. The decibel count was way beyond the allowed limit too. No one seemed to care about breaking the law. That they didn’t care about the environment, the elderly, the young and the animals has been a given over the years.

In my own apartment, and in the colonies around, people burst loud firecrackers till late into the night, well beyond the official time limit. The smoke hung heavily in the air, and crept indoors causing my throat to burn. Breathing freely was not even an option for many of us. Evening walk was out of question altogether. Even the morning walk had become a torture of sorts.

Luckily for me, and for those like me in the city, it rained heavily on the night after and suddenly the air became clearer. I am sure there was a collective sigh of relief, not only from all of us, but the animals and birds too and from nature itself. In a couple of days, we’ll all be back to our old selves.

©️ Shail Mohan 2024