-What's your age?
-9 years.
-Don't you go to school?
-No.
-Why?
-My parents want me to work and earn money. They don't want me to go to school.
-So..how much do you earn?
-Rs.20...
-A day? Rs.20 a day, right?
-R...Rs.20 a week.
-A week???!! So how many hours you have to work everyday for it?
-Its not fixed. We just have to complete the orders. Sometimes we need to work the whole day and still the order of crackers is incomplete.
-So you work from day to night and you only earn Rs.20, that too after a week?
-Yes.
-Ermmm okay. So, how are the work conditions?
-Work conditions?
-Means that, is making crackers easy? In what surroundings do you do the work? How is your health? Do you get holidays?
-No. We don't get any holidays. We have to work everyday from morning to night until we make the required amount of crackers to complete the order. We generally work in a closed room. It gets suffocating there with the gun powder. The hands also starts burning. And it is so hot, we don't get air to breathe. Also, it is explosive so sometimes our hands burn...
-Burn??
-Yes. My big brother burnt his hands and his right leg some days ago. He even got hurt in his eye. He's working inside the factory right now.
-What? Didn't he get a leave for the injury?
-We don't get any leaves. There is so much pressure on us because we need to complete so many orders of fire crackers, that too in such a short period of time, it is impossible for us to get a leave.
-It hurts, doesn't it?
-Well, it is very painful. But what can we do, we are helpless.
This, right here above, is a real interview with a small girl working in a fire-cracker factory. Just think about it, if the crackers we burn on Diwali for the sake of the sparkles and fun, as a mark of Diwali celebration, if they are taking away the lives of innocent kids, if each cracker we burst, is burning the future of innocent kids and family with it, and also our money, think about it...Is it really worth spending on something that can give us momentary amazement, while it would destroy innocent lives forever? Is it really worth spending the money you earn with hours of hard-work, on something that would only add to the already high pollution levels, on something that would kill the valuable lives which could build a new nation, on something that would not really have any positive effects but only add to destruction? Can't we spend the same money to give someone helpless some food to eat, or spread smiles by distributing Diwali gifts among the ones who are needy? Can't we spend the same money to build a better future rather than to destroy it?? I'm sure we can...
Diwali is meant to be celebrated by decorating our houses with lights anddiyas, and also spreading light in the lives of the helpless. Diwali came into existence when Lord Rama defeated and destroyed the evil Ravana(Ravana was a very learned man. But one bad thought, and his whole character got polluted, so poisonous that the little good that existed also became invisible under the dark shadow of evilness) and returned to his home, his kingdom of Ayodhya, with his brother (Lord Laxmana) and his wife(Mother Sita). The residents of his kingdom, his people, they were so happy at this news that they decorated their homes and the whole city like a newly wed bride. Diwali is symbolic of prosperity and happiness, of the victory of good over evil. But if evils such as the crackers still continue to exist and take away the happiness and peace, are they really capable of being used for the celebration of a festival which is so pure and true? With crackers, is the real motive of Diwali succeeding? Is Diwali really the true DIWALI with crackers? Think about it.
Crackers have so many negative aspects, so many that it is hard to point out its positives(I wonder if there are any). They destroy the environment, the innocent lives, the possible bright futures of the new generation, our money, our health, and so on.They are so destructive that if I start pointing out their ill-effects, Diwali would pass by and still the list would go on. I don't exactly know what makes people burst crackers, despite of knowing their ill-effects. I don't know what so good about crackers that people are ready to sacrifice lives and money on them, while they do no good. So instead of talking about the negative aspects, I'll give some positive aspects, ten new ways to celebrate a clean, green, and true Diwali, that is devoid of crackers, and true to the real Diwali spirit...
1. Decorate your house with lights, diyas, candles, lamps and rangolis.
2. Light candles(and diyas) instead of crackers.
3. Visit an orphanage or an old age home. Spend some time with the children and people there. Give them gifts. Spread the light and smile of Diwali to one more person's life (and tell them to do the same).
4. Visit some of your far away friends and relatives. Renew those old bonds of love and care.
5.Distribute sweets(you could even make them yourself!) to family members, friends, neighbors and ex-neighbors. Enhance the sweetness of relationships.
6. Gather some children and adults from your society and recite the story ofLord Rama, the Ramayana. Or you can go and watch Ramleela (enactment of the Ramayana). Remind people of the real significance of Diwali.
7. For a change, wear a traditional Indian outfit and dress yourself as beautifully as you always do. Don't feel shy to show others the new you.
8. Instead of spending time at night with crackers(which are good for nothing), spend time with your family. Gather around the table for a family dinner. Cook some new dishes and share the food, love, and time with your family.
9. Take the holy way. Pray to Lord Rama,Lord Ganesha and Goddess Laxmi for good health and welfare for all. Decorate a beautifulmandir(temple) with your heart in your house to house their idols.
10. People love to burn crackers because of their loud sound and beautiful sparkles and they think its fun. Try the alternative. Invite some drummers and dance to the live beat. Bring all your friends and family to the dance floor and dance your heart out. That way, you not only save your money,but also your health, your environment, and hundreds of lives which would have otherwise been sacrificed to make the crackers which you just stopped burning.
Each cracker you burst is a cry of pain from those innocent kids and each sparkle is a tear in their eyes...So this Diwali, pledge to spread the light to someone's life rather than setting fire to it...
I assure you, you'll get more blessings and joy this way than you ever got in your entire life... :)
Hi all. I'm Aru...as Diwali is coming near, I thought of spreading some awareness and to convince people to join the cause, for a better Diwali, a true and safe Diwali, a cracker-free Diwali. Feel free to leave your comments. And I hope you all join in for a better and safer Diwali.
Happy Diwali in advance. Spread the message :)
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