INTRODUCTION:
“Holidays declared,
Luggage’s packed,
Faces beamed with happiness
Because it’s the season of festivals.”
India is a land of diverse festivals where every festival is celebrated with great grandeur. All the people look forth for this time because festival seasons brings with them joy and happiness. It is also a time for togetherness because families which are living apart from each other due to job or education come as one to celebrate the festival. But in the mood to enjoy the festivals, people forget about the negative impacts it has on the environment.
DIVERSE FESTIVALS:
Festivals in India are like a big celebration and for the most festivals, the government declares a national holiday. This celebration includes poojas, dance, music, distributing sweets, exchanging gifts, wearing new dress and many more. Not only that, each festival is celebrated in a unique way. Some of them are,
Navratri: It is celebrated for nine days where Goddess Shakti’s nine different forms are worshipped and people wear nine different colours for each day. Garba nights and Dandiya Raas dances are organized during this time.
Ganesh Chaturthi: This festival marks the birthday of Lord Ganesha, where idols of Lord Ganesha are made and worshipped. On the last day which is called ‘Visarjan’, these idols are immersed in the water body. The procession is accompanied by music, dance and theatre.
Diwali: It marks the return of Lord Rama with his wife and brother after completing the fourteen years of exile. Darkness loses to light. People decorate their house with lamps, exchange sweets and burst crackers.
Janmashtami: It celebrates the birth of Lord Krishna. People sing hymns, dance and offer various delicacies. During this time people form human shaped pyramids and try to break an earthen pot filled with yogurt.
Eid: It celebrates the end of the holy month of fasting. People attend special community prayers; exchange sweets and elders give children either gifts or money.
Christmas: It celebrates the birthday of Jesus. Churches and homes are decorated with lights and stars. Santa Claus distributes gifts to children.
There are also festivals to worship nature and animals. These festivals signify the importance of nature. Few among them are,
Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Baisakhi, Onam: All these festivals marks the beginning of the harvest season.
Chhath Puja: The sun god is worshipped and it is a four-day long festival.
Naga Panchami: Snakes and serpent deities are worshipped.
TURNING A BLIND EYE:
Festivals are always seen as a celebration and one just wants to enjoy himself. But everybody forgets about the harmful effects that is caused by these celebrations on the environment.
Problem: Air Pollution
Bursting crackers is one of the main reasons for air pollution during a festival. There is a release of toxic gases which contaminates the air which leads to various health issues. But people neglect this issue and every year huge numbers of firecrackers are burst.
Solution: Green crackers/balloon crackers
People enjoy bursting crackers but they are really harmful to the environment. So, people can switch to green crackers. These crackers let away less emissions and are less pollutive compared to the firecrackers that is commonly used.
Otherwise, balloon crackers can be used. Balloons filled with colourful flakes can be blown and burst. It is safe and is pollution free.
Problem: Water Pollution
Every year during some festivals, idols of deities are immersed inside the water. The paint that is used to make these idols contain high level of mercury and lead which makes the water bodies toxic. It in turn affects the aquatic animals.
Solution: Eco-friendly idols
Now efforts have been taken to make eco-friendly idols. These eco-friendly idols are made up of biodegradable materials which will degrade faster when immersed in water and is not harmful. Also, separate tanks can be allotted to immerse the idols which will not affect other water bodies.
Plantable Tree Ganesha idols are the new trend. These idols are made up of clay, manure, vermicompost and other natural fertilizers and is filled with seeds of quickly growing plants. These idols can be planted into the soil instead of immersions.
Problem: Noise pollution
A vital part of the festival is music and dance. Loudspeakers, loud musical instruments and firecrackers all contribute to the noise pollution. It not only affects the environment but also the health of the public and can be fatal to animals.
Solution: Limitations
People must strictly adhere to the limitations set by the government. During the festival times, there is a permissible noise limit set. Not only that, there is a certain time allotted to burst the crackers and people must only burst crackers during this allotted time. If everyone follows these limitations, then noise pollution can be controlled to a certain level.
Problem: Dry Wastes
Bursting of firecrackers and the unused things of pooja materials creates a lot of dry wastes during festivals. Since dry wastes do not decay, it will deplete the soil.
Solution: Disposal
The only way to curb these wastes is by making a proper disposal system.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
People get so engrossed in enjoying the festivals, they neglect the impacts that it has on the environment and other living beings. For a day’s merriment we are causing a long-term destruction. If we do not make a change now, then the consequences will be catastrophic.
“At least this festival season lets hold hands with nature and make it an
ECO-FRIENDLY CELEBRATION.”
By: Samyuktha R
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