It’s that time of the year again. The lights twinkle, sweets overflow, and the skies of North India turn into a war zone — not of celebration, but of smoke. Despite every warning, every campaign, every child coughing on the streets, there are still people proudly lighting up crackers like they’re doing the world a favor. And you can’t help but wonder — what kind of people are these?
The Air We All Breathe
Let’s start with something simple: air is not optional. You can live three weeks without food, three days without water, but barely three minutes without air. Yet, every Diwali, we seem determined to destroy the very thing that keeps us alive. It’s as if logic goes up in smoke along with the fireworks.
The numbers are terrifying. In Delhi, the AQI regularly crosses 600 or more post-Diwali. That’s not “poor” air — that’s toxic gas chamber level. You can taste the pollution, feel it in your throat, and see it settle as a yellow haze over the city. Hospitals fill with patients gasping for breath, children wake up coughing, and the elderly are forced to stay indoors. And still, some “celebrators” go on bursting crackers as if their joy is worth everyone else’s suffering.
Who Are These People?
You see them everywhere — the ones who shrug and say, “It’s just for one day,” or “Let the kids enjoy.” They call it tradition, as if poisoning the environment is part of our culture. These are not innocent people; they are wilfully ignorant. The weirdest part? Many of them are educated, aware, and even claim to care about climate change on social media. They’ll post about saving turtles and avoiding plastic straws, but when it comes to bursting crackers, suddenly “fun” becomes more important than “life.”
It’s almost comical — adults standing around proudly while their kids set off explosives in the street, filling the air with smoke so thick you can’t see five feet ahead. What are they teaching their children? That celebration means destruction? That it’s okay to harm others as long as you’re having a good time?
The Excuse of “Tradition”
People often hide behind the excuse of tradition. But let’s be honest — traditions evolve. Sati was once a tradition. So was untouchability. We abandoned those because we learned better. Why can’t we abandon crackers when we know they’re killing us? Festivals are meant to spread light and joy, not lung disease. There’s no divinity in detonating gunpowder.
If you want to celebrate, light diyas, share sweets, play music, or just spend time with your loved ones. But don’t pretend that bursting crackers is some sacred act. It’s not. It’s just noise and poison — nothing more.
The Simple Truth
The irony is brutal. People spend lakhs on luxury cars with air purifiers, install expensive filters at home, and then step out to light the same smoke that fills those filters. It’s a collective self-destruction. We complain about the government, about farmers burning stubble, about industries polluting the air — but we forget that every matchstick we strike adds to the same toxic cloud.
A Plea for Sanity
So, to those still burning crackers: please, stop. This isn’t about being “anti-festival.” It’s about being pro-life. It’s about empathy. The air you poison isn’t just yours; it belongs to every breathing being around you. The child in the next lane, the stray dog on the road, the old woman sitting by her window — all of them inhale what you exhale.
We are choking our own cities, our own children, our own future — all for a few seconds of light and sound. Maybe it’s time we realize that the brightest celebration is the one that lets everyone breathe.