In school essays on Diwali, we attributed the cause of celebration to return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after exile lasting 14 years. People lit up their homes with Diyas and distributed sweets amongst each other to rejoice the return of their favourite Rama.
Like everything else, we distorted the original rational for Diwali. Somewhere down the line, Festival of Lights became the festival of sound also with the advent of crackers. These crackers not only caused serious damage to our environment but also had ill effects of causing injuries, noise pollution and sheer waste of money. The simple sharing of homemade sweets gradually transformed into tradition of expensive gifting not always to celebrate Diwali’s spirit but to use the same as a tool for gratification of important people for achieving not too noble objectives. Other social malaise like gambling and drinking had absolutely no connection with the original spirit of Diwali.
Let’s light up our houses not because we learnt that while writing school essays but to obliterate darkness representing ignorance, taboo and other vices in our lives. Let’s distribute sweets not to diabetic overfed socialites but to poor, hungry and deprived street kids, who wait for Diwali to satisfy their cravings. Let’s gift essentials to the needy and not to fat cats to achieve some ulterior motive. Let’s sponsor a poor child’s education by the money saved on crackers. Let’s pray to Goddess Lakshmi not to give us wealth but to give us health to enjoy and properly utilise whatever wealth she has blessed us with.
May everyone have a happy, healthy and prosperous Diwali that spreads message of peace, brotherhood and unity !
Arvind Arya blog 
Well stated sir. While people are realising this slowly, hope the change is faster! Wish you and your family a very happy Diwali!!
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Thanks Prakash
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Very true Sir but other side of exaggerated festivity is flow of money to market leading to income and employment to poor. Wish you a very very happy Diwali.
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Thanks Sanjit
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Very well expressed Arya, as always, in such a crisp manner… lets all join our hands together to help the deprived and needy, in any manner, as results are much better through unified efforts.
Wish you and your family a very happy Deepawali…
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Thanks Madam! Where are you?
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Arya Sir, wonderful thoughts put across nicely. A noble idea to distribute sweets, gifts to underprivileged .
Things are changing for good too. We hear CapitalFirst man donating huge amounts to maids, drivers and even family members and friends who are not as fortunate as him.
I believe thought provokers like you are changing the behaviour of people. May be the number is small now but surely it will swell.
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Thanks Daljit Sir! Happy that you liked my blog
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Very well expressed as usual Sir,Your thoughts are always with facts and concerns, it inspires others to think and act.
Let’s pray the god to give us strength to fight the evils as expressed by you.
Wishing you and your family happy diwali 🙏
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Thanks Vinayak
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Absolutely correct Sir.
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Happy you liked it Manoj
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VERY WELL SAID ARYA JI
N K MIDHA
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Thanks
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Very well said Sir.. I like your perspective of distributing Sweets to the under privileged.. I realised that we should pray for health by being hospitalised recently. Happy Diwali to You and your family.
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Thanks Sunil! How are you?
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Truth of our times.. Celebration needs occasion..why to celebrate is no more relevant.
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👍
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Respected Sir Happy Diwali to Your Goodself and Family . My Parents and oldies used to say ditto “Let’s pray to Goddess Lakshmi not to give us wealth but to give us health to enjoy and properly utilise whatever wealth she has blessed us with.”….and do something for Poor.CBB Kolkata is doing Joy of Giving like distributing clothes to poors.
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Your and mine thoughts are largely aligned
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Sir, well said, the facts. To add, I also suggest spending time, a bit more, with those who need it desperately, be it our kids, our spouse, our parents, or for that matter, any lonely soul, for whom a few of “our” minutes would lighten up their coming weeks.
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Good thought Anoop
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Excellent blog!
Belated good wishes on Diwali to you and your loved ones!
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Thanks Om! I feel flattered
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Beautiful message and written in an intriguing manner. Hope people understand this and implement the same.
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Thanks Raghav
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