The festival of lights is upon us and if you do not really understand what it’s about then here is a quick low down;

According to CNN Diwali or Deepavali means rows of lights or lamps.

Diwali is known as the festival of lights because of the oil lamps and electric lights that people use to decorate homes, businesses and public spaces. As a celebration of the victory of good over evil and light over darkness, light is an important physical and spiritual symbol of the holiday.

The name for a Hindu place of worship is “mandir”

Christianity has churches, Judaism has synagogues, Islam has mosques and Hinduism has mandirs. On Diwali, Indians living abroad gather in mandirs for community celebrations. People leave offerings of food at the altars of different gods and gather for communal meals. Some mandirs host fireworks displays.

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Followers of various religions observe customs related to Diwali

For many Indians, Diwali honors Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth. They light their homes and open their doors and windows to welcome her. In addition to Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs also celebrate Diwali in such countries as Nepal, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Singapore. Legends and customs accompanying Diwali celebrations vary among religions and regions.

People spend a lot of time getting ready

Families spend days cleaning and decorate their homes in preparation for Diwali. They also shop for new clothes and outfits to wear to celebrations. Unsurprisingly, there are a lot of ways to go about this, from arts and crafts to makeup tricks to help you “shimmer, shine and sparkle.”

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How to Go Green this Diwali

If this year, you want to the planet a favour then celebrate a green Diwali with these simple tips by Surf Excel. 

Burst firecrackers, but smartly. Use only those firecrackers that do not cause noise pollution and cause minimal air pollution.

A fuljhadi, for example, causes very little air pollution and no noise pollution. Fireworks like anaar and chakris don’t cause much noise pollution but are higher on the air pollution.

To celebrate a green Diwali,. Also try to convince your neighbors to limit plan out your firework usage and ration the usage of firecrackers among your family members. You can even take the initiative a few weeks in advance and try to convince your whole neighbourhood or society to participate in your fun, clean, and green Diwali.  

Celebrate with Diyas, Lanterns and Lights

The little earthen lanterns called diyas have become the symbol of Diwali and everything that goes with it. These beacons of light are lovely, minimal, and cause almost no damage to the environment, making them an excellent option if you’re planning to go green this Diwali.

They light up your home with their flame and warm your hearts. Other than diyas, you can also illuminate our homes using lanterns of different shapes, sizes and colours.

There is a very wide variety of lanterns that are available in the market during Diwali. Both of these decorations also help in reducing your electricity bill!  

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Involve the Whole Family in Making Rangolis

If you’re wondering how to celebrate a green Diwali and keep everyone entertained, why not plan a nice little family activity around making rangolis for the house? Involve everyone, from kids and grandparents to cousins, uncles and aunts.

You can even turn it into a competition by dividing everyone into groups of two or three to make their rangolis and then deciding who made the best one. Playing with colours is bound to get a bit messy, but you don’t need to worry about that because Surf excel brings you peace of mind.

With the power of vibrating molecules, Surf excel cleans even the most stubborn of stains easily – and when the stains bring your family closer together, then daag achhe hain!  

Give to Others

This Diwali, make someone else’s day special. Instead of the consumerist Diwali we spend and splurge on every year, this time, pass on the gift of a special experience to someone less privileged than you.

You can donate to a charity, volunteer for an NGO or even contribute online. You can even make an effort to help other people during your normal schedule. If someone on the road needs help, do make an effort to stop and help out.

As part of your green Diwali, you can also do something for the stray animals in your area. Animals are the ones who suffer most from the firecrackers. Offer them some shelter and some food.  

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Invest in Recyclable Commodities

When shopping for a green Diwali, one should consciously buy products that are recyclable or eco-friendly.

A lot of waste is usually generated during Diwali. You can make an effort to ensure that this is disposed of in a much more eco-friendly way. Make an effort to segregate the waste into wet and dry, and try and recycle and reuse as much as you can.

For example, the diyas used during Diwali can be used again all through the year to provide a pleasant ambience in your home. We wish you a happy, clean, and green Diwali!

Categories: Lifestyle News