Last Diwali I asked my friend "Why? Why do you burst crackers?" "Omen, it is for
good omen", he said. Such beliefs are nothing new for us Indians. The fact that
people expect to get good luck after doing something that is causing distress
and chaos all over the locality just seems like something an uneducated person
would do. You see, there is a difference between 'Educated' and 'Literate'. Some
people claim to be educated but they are actually only literate and do not use
whatever they study to practical use. Even if bursting that one cracker is like
a drop in the ocean, it is still causing more damage than you think. After all,
it is every drop which makes up an ocean.
The
Universe is a dynamic entity and according to every religion, you get back what
you give. So technically (or in accordance with religion), by bursting that one
cracker, you not only wounded the environment, but also gave the universe a
chance to throw some ill omens towards you. Ironic, isn’t it?
Did
you know that the usage of diyas became pre-dominant during the age of the
Ramayana, not just for show, but also because they acted as a sustainable
repellant for bugs, especially mosquitoes during monsoons. It’s shocking how
something so innocent, so logical, so useful would get converted into something
quite the opposite - what we call firecrackers.
If
our ancestors would see what development has led to, they probably would not
even desire or dream of the future. Is it really good luck that you get by
potentially eradicating the lives of our future generations? To all the people
who say, “It’s not a crime to have fun for once in your life “ and proceed to do
something like bursting a cracker, or wasting water, food and resources, I would
request you to question this statement of yours. Would you find it amusing that
your current actions may lead to remorse and regret as you watch from the
afterlife, your future generations just cripple like a graham cracker between
your fingers. If you think about it in such a perspective, you won’t really be
having ‘fun’ in such activities once you realize the threat they pose. And if it
doesn’t affect your mindset, then it’s your ignorance contributing to eternal
ruin.
Hindu Mythology states that there are four ages of the earth, after which life
would end forever, and we are currently in the fourth and final Age. Even other
religious texts suggest that the end is near. It may not take long for this age
to come to an end soon! That is, unless we stop wasting, and start preserving
resources for humanity’s future, which, at such a rate might be impossible if
the entire globe does not work united to achieve sustainability.
Another thing we must do for the persistence of our future generations is to get
rid of superstitions. If you want people to follow something, instead of making
something ridiculous out of it, why not support it with reasoning and promote
rationalism? It’s not too late to speak out, act and to correct the ills of our
mindsets. I believe that it’s time to revive the classics and glory of our
religion and our ancestors, without being hegemonized under the dominancy of
superstitions.
Superstitions are like the asteroid which came and destroyed the Jurassic Age.
The only difference is that we are the dinosaurs trapped in this appalling void
of irrational thinking. It is not just the fault of those who are believing. The
actual culprits are those who are making others believe.
Of
course, a harmless superstition is no big deal. The problem arises when certain
scientifically proven facts get converted into something so illogical that
people like me begin to write against it.
It
is not the government that can change everything. We as citizens hold equal
responsibility to our nation's wellbeing. So, I ask you to question yourself-
"Am I doing what's right? or Am I doing what I think is right?"
Change is possible,
It's not too late.
Pain is preventable,
It's not too late.
Sufferings are terminable,
It's not too late.
Change is doable,
So don't wait....