Sanjukta was restless in the Deepawali evening, she was eager to fire the crackers given to her. Her bag was consisting of few tara-batti, charki, toobri, phool-jhuri, etc. This was given to her as an annual allotment and more as a parental responsibility!
Around 7.30 PM, we went on to the terrace to carry out the burning of crackers. We are living in the sub-urbs of South Calcutta where surroundings are greener and numbers of sky-scrappers are also scanty and far away visible. The evening is ornamented with decorative lamps, LEDs in different shades, different shapes in all directions. People, seem to forget all their problems, miseries, and just need an occasion to come out of all these and celebrate.
Sanjukta was keen to finish all her stocks, but every time she was hiding behind her mother when a cracker is burning out. Around us, crackers were burning, bursting restlessly with big bangs hitting our ear-drums.
Within an hour, air around us got heavier, visibility getting reduced gradually. Bright decorative lights which was lighting up the sky were getting fade too and I was finding it difficult to breathe. Surroundings were getting darker even at 8.30 PM and air around appears to look foggy. Darkness seems to gain strength!
Lights, colours and brightness of Deepawali seem to loose its vigour over the human nuisance. Its difficult to imagine how much money has gone into the fire to-night. I could just pray, for the sake of God, if only fraction of that money we could have saved and spent on the poor on the streets. They must have all gone on hideouts tonight for a safer shelter!
In India, we have so many festivals throughout a year that they become a boon for the economy. If we spend, some are definitely going to earn. This money will spread smiles to the lesser privileged ones.
Returning to my flat, I took news-channels to see the celebrations near and far. News-headlines declare, 30 people arrested for bursting banned crackers. A little latter, another news flashed, a slum area at Kalikapur burnt down to ashes allegedly, due to fire crackers! One injured and one child lost.
We know how to start, but don’t know how to stop, where to stop. We surrender ourselves when good turns bad, when beauty turns ugly. We forget our responsibilities that we need to raise our voice…..
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