Spark of consciousness as families cut fireworks at Chaturthi

Panaji: For several families, Ganesh Chaturthi was peaceful this season as they chose to avoid using fireworks entirely, fully immersing themselves in aartis and prayers instead. A few fired crackers only as a token celebration.
The elephant-headed Lord Ganesha is worshipped as, among other things, the god of wisdom, prosperity and learning. For many, specially in Goa, it is the celebration of nature’s richly abundant produce harvested from fields and from the wild for offerings at puja.
While the staccato and booming sounds of fireworks and their colourful flashes are a thrill for many, some prefer a quiet festival, aware that health and the environment need to be protected.
Former Carambolim sarpanch Rajesh Naik’s family is one whose house — barring the sound of prayers — goes silent during Chaturthi. “Since 2006 after his bypass surgery and until his death 10 years later, our father suffered due to the deafening sounds and smoke,” Naik said.
The elderly Naik had lung problems and used to gasp for breath. “We realised that we ourselves cause the problem and this is the same tale of agony and suffering for other families. Hence, we first used fireworks sparingly and ultimately stopped them five years ago,” he said.
In other nooks of Goa, there are a few who believe they have to reduce the decibel and pollution levels. “While I saw that the use of fireworks has reduced, maybe due to inflation, we laid a condition that not a single firecracker would be lit during festivities,” Rajendra Desai of Krutarth, a cultural organisation promoting quiet celebrations, said.
The Desai families came together after many years at their ancestral house at Amad, Keri, in Ponda for a poignant celebration. “We insisted that our dear ones bring more flowers and fruits instead of fireworks and they were happy about it,” Rajendra said.
Some other families are cautious about wasting money on fireworks. “We make minimal use of them due to their impact on children. No ‘sutli’ bombs but just a few firecrackers,” Dinesh Usgaonkar, a biodiversity management committee member, said.
Most festivities of various communities do use fireworks but a spark of consciousness about reducing them appears to have been lit. “Many are still unaware that pollutants such as potassium and sulphur leach into the soil and affect its fertility,” Vaishnavi Naik, a former zoology student of Goa University, said.
Citizens are increasingly promoting sustainable practices during every festival. Govt can play a significant role in creating awareness, some say. “If some restrictions are imposed and panchayat leaders appeal to people, they may listen to them,” Usgaonkar said.