[SankalpDesai]

I can answer this question with a single word - YES, but then it would not meet the rules of the forum. So I need to add value here.

Yes, Yes, Yes - I certainly will burn fire crackers this Diwali. This is a festival of lights and victory of good over evil and hence it becomes our Duty to celebrate this with as much fun and frolic as we can. I prefer not using the so called bombs, but use other forms of crackers like FireWorks or Ataashbaji. I also like the humble ones like chhakri, dori, pencil, etc.

[srishiva]

Bad that they dont have pollution/smoke control on our crackers. Will burn a few with kids, mostly the lighting ones, no sound.

[Gansan]

I most definitely will. I don't want my son to miss the pleasures I had at his age. But it will be more of pyrotechnics and and less of fire crackers.

[kablu]

I'm celebrating a crackerless diwali for the past 7 years. Diwali basically is a festival of lights. We celebrate it with lights and not crackers.I dont wish to advocate crackerless diwali to everyone as it may sound like moral policing. But, it gives me immense happiness to have a pollution-less, garbage-less Diwali. Not to mention the huge money burnt for the crackers.

[arjyamaj]

No. Instead, I'll be burning sky lanterns, like I do every year. IMO, they're far more beautiful. I got mine at http://www.excitinglives.com/experie...roducts_id=553

[girishglg]

Not planning to burn crackers this time around but buying a few sets of serial lights that can be placed around the windows.

Yes the diyas will be lighted which will bring in the Diwali spirit to light!

[arindambasu13]

Will be bursting crackers, but the percentage of bombs will be negligible (if at all). Over the years, the fascination with loud noises have diminished to becoming very low, and now its more about catching up with friends, having some good food and drink, and making merry till the wee hours- rather than bursting a hundred bombs. I guess part of it has to do with environmental consciousness, while the other part is because I myself have come to hate loud and noisy celebrations.

[hrman]

I will not be bursting too many crackers as Im travelling for Diwali. But I saw this initiative in my office where they have tied up with an agency. If you order fireworks from them, they will supply at 25% cost of the MRP. And the collected amount will be passed on to the child welfare activities of the NGO. Found it an interesting concept..

[deathwalkr]

I do not want to offend anyone's religious sentiments in here. so excuse my points if they come across as harsh.

Someone said something about crackers being used in the Olympics. Olympics happens once in a year in one isolated controlled setting. Crackers [when i say crackers i mean the loud ones] are a bane because such celebrations are infringing upon others in the locality. Same goes as well for loudspeakers at unearthly hours in the name of God. But that will go beyond topic here.

And as for cellphones being harmful, well they may or may not be but they do not affect others around oneself.

Cars? They have become a necessity. We may not be able to forgo that luxury but do we really need loud crackers?

The fireworks industry gives huge employment to the people. What can the government do? Enforce time deadlines. I abhor loud crackers when they go off at 11 in the night or so.

Make fireworks industries manufacture loud crackers which will produce noise only upto a certain decibel. Possible? Who knows? Has anyone tried to? Again who knows.

Firecrackers were not such a big phenomenon in Kerala unlike neighbouring Tamil Nadu, but of late it has caught on over here as well.

Everything in life will have its pros and cons. Cars/Mobile Phones etc etc but we need to weed out the ones which have more cons than pros and get on with life. Each family can make a big difference in our heavily society influenced life.

[motorpsycho]

I no longer burn fire cracker any more , me and my bro just out grew them. I do not enjoy burning fire crackers anymore , I just feel that its a waste of money when I see so many underprivileged children begging from shop to shop on Diwali eve.The last time when we got cracker was during Ganesh chaturthi , and most of the crackers where given to children on the street to enjoy.
But those who have kids, they should not be denied to joy of fire crackers , when I was a kid , playing with fire cracker was one of the best things about Diwali!

[alpha1]

Diwali is a festival of light or sound?

I guess somewhere down the line, Indians just lost the entire plot ...

[thalavoy]

I am not going to convince any one to do one thing or other.
But, I am not going to burst any crackers. I have been doing this for a few years now.
I let my kids use sparklers when we visit relatives/friends though.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by thalavoy

I am not going to convince any one to do one thing or other.
But, I am not going to burst any crackers. I have been doing this for a few years now.
I let my kids use sparklers when we visit relatives/friends though.

Say NO to loud crackers for the sake of dogs and other animals who have sensitive hearing!

[naveenroy]

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

I do not want to offend anyone's religious sentiments in here. so excuse my points if they come across as harsh.

Someone said something about crackers being used in the Olympics. Olympics happens once in a year in one isolated controlled setting. Crackers [when i say crackers i mean the loud ones] are a bane because such celebrations are infringing upon others in the locality. Same goes as well for loudspeakers at unearthly hours in the name of God. But that will go beyond topic here.

And as for cellphones being harmful, well they may or may not be but they do not affect others around oneself.
-------------------
Everything in life will have its pros and cons. Cars/Mobile Phones etc etc but we need to weed out the ones which have more cons than pros and get on with life. Each family can make a big difference in our heavily society influenced life.

Well said! And I think it is quite incorrect to think that it is our "god-given" right to burst crackers at unearthly hours and add to our already polluted planet. Yes, you might argue that it is already very polluted so whats the big deal? But why do we have to add to it - especially in such a way?

[joslicx]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Say NO to loud crackers for the sake of dogs and other animals who have sensitive hearing!

Its not just the dogs/animals Mr. Balan. Noisy crackers are equally painful for lots of humans, including babies who find them so discomforting. My little daughter would cry every time somebody would burst those "bombs". Unfortunately it went on like that till 2AM and even after! All I could do was to just try and comfort her but it was a real bad Diwali for us. What is the joy in seeing your child cry for no reason?

People just dont understand how their immature and senseless actions can make others miserable.