Will you burn crackers this diwali?

[yogi1771]

i think kids have a right to enjoy fireworks we also did as kids because for them the concept of sound and air pollution is crap just the bursting of fireworks is seer pleasure for them,anyway no kids in my house so no fireworks for now maybe after a month when my niece(3yrs old) comes down from states a few sparklers and a few flower pots

[Rtech]

We were just having this conversation last evening. 2 days to go till Diwali, and everything is silent! Amazing. A few years ago the air would be full of smoke and the noise would drive my dog's crazy. But this year there have been big changes. I think people are becoming more concerned about these sort of things.

That said, I think certain types of fireworks are fine for a few days in the year. As Yogi pointed out, the sparklers, fountains and other noiseless crackers are great. I love the rockets as well. Remember having a great time shooting them off in all directions when i was a kid!

[turbofreak]

Only rockets and flower pots for me..

[hondadude]

I can't imagine Diwali without fireworks. No (noise making) crackers for sure but things like flower pots and stuff like that are fun for kids.

[Surprise]

Originally Posted by madhav

It has been a while since I gave up buying crackers/fireworks for Diwali. But this year I'm planning to buy crackers and take it to an orphanage... Just like us or our kids, those poor kids also enjoy Diwali if they see some fireworks. So I'm planning to go to this one particular orphanage off-hosur road where I contribute regularly. The place hardly gets any publicity the kids really deserve something nice for a festival.

Hats off to you madhav. My friends has bought crakers for 5k for Saturday late night fun. Surely I will recommend your idea.

[vivekiny2k]

am in US, so no point me voting here. but i have always used minimal crackers just to keep up with the tradition. folks at home will not like our gate without a single firework on diwali. else i wud also be voting for a NO.

but, only issues i see is a whole (pointless) industry (in sivakasi) getting eliminated and folks looking for other jobs. hopefully this anti crackers drive does not give a strong backlash. it shud be gradual.

[Godfather]

NO. This year i am not burning crackers.. The money that i generally spend was spent in the following way which even i could not believe was possible

1. education+medical care for 3 underpreviliged children -- 2000 x 3 = 6000/-
2. medical care for mentally 3 challenged children -- 4000 x 3 12000/-

All this is through CRY and the amount paid covers up for a year.
I am feeling much better now seeing that my money is not going up in smoke....and someone is benifitting from it..

Peace
Godfather.

[Samurai]

Well, I bought fireworks today. But nothing noisy, only lights and visual effects. I didn't celebrate for nearly a decade when I was abroad. We started again last year for my son. I can't deprive him all the fun I used to have as a kid during Deepawali.

[prabuddhadg]

I have never been to keen on firecrackers, and do not remember when I lit them last. Though, I must say I used to love an extremely polluting thing that came in small match box sized boxes, looked like black saridon tablets, and when you lit them, the tablet would belch smoke and start growing like a snake. It would also spoil the floor with a black ring. But I just loved them anyway.

[vebmetal]

But there is an interesting twist this year - the smoke from firecrackers will most probably significantly inhibit mosquitoes in Delhi, and thereby help control Dengue..... soooo what is worse, pollution or dengue?

And anyway, does anyone know of any scientific data or study in relation to how much air pollution can actually be attributed to firecrackers? I know it seems to be common sense... burning crackeres = smoke = air pollution. But I hate common sense. It sucks. My non-expert guess would be that 2-3 days of diwali pathaka smoke probably does not even contribute to the same amount of air pollution as is done by motor vehicles in a single day. And yes, yes, I know, cars are 'necessary' and firecrackers are a sinful luxury... but still, if air pollution is what we are really concerned about, shouldn't we be doing something to limit the number of cars on the road (perhaps something like in Singapore?)

p.s. I am not claiming to know any answers, I just get irritated that in this country we often don't ask enough questions.... well, at least the right ones anyway.

[airfoil]

While I am in principle disnterested in firecrackers, I will indulge a little, if only to introduce my children to safe & responsible fun.

This does mean that no ostentatious stuff is allowed and for the most part, no noisy crakers either.

[manson]

happy diwali guys. bought a few crackers yesterdy, but nopthing close to what things were a few years back.

manson.

[khanak]

the best thing to do after ur puja at home on diwali is to drive to marine drive nd park ur car there nd watch the crackers. i guess you could bring a couple of ur own too but its really amazing to watch some of the crackers tht light up in the sky. i guess thts a good combination of reducing pollution and enjoying fireworks.......like using public transport or somthng..lol