I joined the hundreds of my Goan brethren in celebrating the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi last week, and offered my prayers to the God of Ecology and Knowledge.
Whilst Goan Ganesh Chaturthi is also symbolic of the display of traditional and seasonal biodiversity and its veneration in various forms, in recent years the whole festival has like in other parts of the country, taken a more commercial garb.
And while I don’t consider myself an authority to talk in this subject, it was the unnecessary usage of fireworks and crackers that pained my being to no end. The very thought of funds being wasted for creating noise, smoke and toxic gases does not seem essential especially when in some other part of our country is facing a National calamity in Bihar, and folks there are in crucial need of all sorts of help-in kind and funds too.
It is essential that we start thinking as a country now, and to do that we need to start from our own backyards and neighborhoods. This Ganesh Chaturthi, I was able to convince at least a few relatives and folks about the ill effects of thermocol, plaster of Paris idols and of course firecrackers. The response was not exactly positive but I know there were attempts to rectify and even avoid doing mistakes that have happened in the past.
Hoping all celebrate the festival in its true sense and create awareness about environmental consciousness along with religious values in the state of Goa as well as the country.
Whilst Goan Ganesh Chaturthi is also symbolic of the display of traditional and seasonal biodiversity and its veneration in various forms, in recent years the whole festival has like in other parts of the country, taken a more commercial garb.
And while I don’t consider myself an authority to talk in this subject, it was the unnecessary usage of fireworks and crackers that pained my being to no end. The very thought of funds being wasted for creating noise, smoke and toxic gases does not seem essential especially when in some other part of our country is facing a National calamity in Bihar, and folks there are in crucial need of all sorts of help-in kind and funds too.
It is essential that we start thinking as a country now, and to do that we need to start from our own backyards and neighborhoods. This Ganesh Chaturthi, I was able to convince at least a few relatives and folks about the ill effects of thermocol, plaster of Paris idols and of course firecrackers. The response was not exactly positive but I know there were attempts to rectify and even avoid doing mistakes that have happened in the past.
Hoping all celebrate the festival in its true sense and create awareness about environmental consciousness along with religious values in the state of Goa as well as the country.
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