The festival of Diwali, symbolising the "victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance", is a grand celebration that dates back thousands of years.
It commemorates the return of Lord Rama to the historic city of Ayodhya, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, after a challenging and arduous 14-year exile.
Lord Rama triumphantly rescued his wife, Goddess Sita, by killing the ten-headed demon king, Ravana. Hence, the festival represents the victory of good over evil.
Lakshmi Puja is an important ritual performed by people on this festival. It is believed that Goddess Lakshmi, the divine embodiment of wealth and prosperity, graciously visits the homes of her devotees and bestows abundant blessings and immense fortune on them on this day.
Traditionally, Hindus exchange sweets with friends and relatives, decorate their homes, buy jewellery, utensils and clothes. They illuminate homes and streets with artificial lights and diyas (earthen oil lamps) and burst crackers with loved ones as part of the festivities.
People buy jewellery on the occasion of Dhanteras ahead of the Hindu festival of Diwali at a jewellery store in Amritsar on October 22, 2022.
© AFP 2023 NARINDER NANU
Diwali Firecrackers History
Fireworks, a common and inseparable part of Diwali celebrations, have not always been used on this occasion.
Historically, gunpowder first came to India around 1400 AD for warfare, wrote the late historian P.K. Gode in his book titled "History of Fireworks in India between 1400 and 1900".
In 1518, fireworks were used at a wedding in Gujarat. However, their use was restricted to esteemed members of the royal families and only on rare and special occasions.
Around the 1700s, fireworks became a sign of royalty and wealth, and their use was limited to weddings and coronations.
It was only after Indian independence in 1947 that common people started using fireworks during Diwali.
Diwali and Firecrackers Debate
In recent years, the bursting of crackers has been banned during Diwali, especially in Delhi, due to their negative impact on air pollution levels and the deterioration of the Air Quality Index.
In 2016, the Chest Research Foundation observed that certain fireworks emitted particulate matter (PM) that far exceeded the limit set by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Later, many studies and experts warned that firecrackers release toxic gases like nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and others and have a detrimental impact on health, causing an array of ailments – respiratory problems (asthma), allergies, lung infections and even heart attacks.
As air quality in Delhi generally degrades around Diwali, bursting firecrackers have been banned in Diwali since 2017.
This year, the Supreme Court has urged all states and Union Territories to comply with its orders of imposing curbs on bursting firecrackers during Diwali. However, the top court has not banned bursting of firecrackers on Diwali, except for in Delhi.