Same dances in the same old shoes… Some habits that you just can’t lose…

After the thrill is gone…

No, this is not about the Eagles’ song. It’s the Diwali air. The beautiful lights that sparkled and glittered in the night failed to brighten the day. After the thrill is gone, it’s all smoky and smoggy. The flames that went up simply descended and now the air is all grey.

All the debates and talks over promotion of Clean Delhi or controlling air pollution have evaporated into the black hole of the murky atmosphere after the great festival of lights.

Well, it’s not about air pollution. It’s about celebration of lights. But, sadly, the lights of Diwali that shone in the night sky failed to brighten the day as the city dwellers woke up to a dark day filled with the smoke of celebration that choked many. Such is the disaster of a beautiful festival, which popularity today has crossed cultures, communities and all boundaries.

The morning news headline reads ‘Delhi celebrates Diwali with lesser fireworks’  and the news that followed – “The air quality in the national capital this Diwali was better” than last year, according to a data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Probably, it’s true, but not good enough. Many have fallen sick. Many complaint about increased pollution.

The air quality in the city is still “very poor”. The Air Quality Index (AQI) value on Thursday was “very poor” at 319. Of course, last Diwali, it was “severe”. It recorded an index value of 431.

The year was good. Summer was not too bad. It was quite bearable apart from the initial humidity as Delhi received good amount of monsoon rain this year. After the rain, as autumn settled in, the city looked  rainwashed and green. But just as the citizens began to enjoy the pleasant autumn weather, BOOM! It all went up. The city, now, looks grey and gloomy. The smog would continue to hang over through the cold into the winter months. There’s no getting out of it. So, where does that leave us.

The clean Delhi campaign is all grey now. All that wishes of health and wealth to all loved ones, to far and near, sparkled in the dark sky for a second. Now, it’s all gone. The beautiful lights that shone in the night have died.

Did we really celebrate Diwali as the festival of lights to shine our path, our hearts and homes? We raised our voice for and against fircrackers. So much was spoken and written about safe and healthy Diwali, and the Diwali lights purifying the environment and bringing in positive energy.

We clashed and dashed all hopes of brighter days ahead. The day today is grey and gloomy. Surely, we need to do more and better for healthy and quality living.