We tried to play a dry Holi! Why because kids were made to take an oath in the school that they will not waste water.

Few months ago we celebrated Diwali without crackers because the kids were made to take an oath in the school that they will not pollute the air with crackers.

We celebrated Ganeshotsva few months ago without using a very loud speaker, because…….

Of course you know, the kids………….

Well do I wish to pollute the air with crackers smoke or create noise pollution with loudspeakers or I am just a sadist to waste water when my countrymen are struggling for every drop. None of the above, I am a simple, law abiding citizen of the country, a country which offers a lot of freedom of speech, conduct and social being. So, I am a very privileged being in more ways than less. I can call people’s meeting at any given place without any government or police permission. I can raise slogans against whomsoever I take fancy to. Crux is I can do whatever I feel like.

Now the same me is in each and everyone of us. So there are many people around me who are doing whatever they please to. And when they are carrying out their wishes and whims what am I doing?

I am doing the best I can, ‘I am watching them’, and what do I do after observing? NOTHING!!!!!!

You are thinking what am I referring to? Well the sad part of our society today.

I did nothing when they dug out the well constructed road for constructing a makeshift stage on it, may be for some Pooja or sabha or whatever. The road is horrible now and being surrounded by so many schools in the vicinity, the road mostly has traffic jam due to potholes.

I did nothing when they started to dig the beautiful hill adjoining my neighbourhood to construct new buildings. (the hill is a part of National Park, so we practically stole the land from the animals and birds)

I did nothing when the huge tree in front of my complex is getting drugged and is about to die. This tree is been giving us shade since may be 40 years. There are many such old and huge trees being put to death every single day, by whom and what for I have no clue……….

So what do I do? If I am observing everything and taking note of what is it that I do?

I make children take an oath. I burden their tiny minds to do things which are actually called by the unpardonable mistakes I am committing in the here and now.

Come Diwali and you will find every responsible, or who loves to be called responsible and thoughtful citizen, to be forwarding the message for reduction in fire crackers. I wish to ask each one of those people, do you know how many kilos of fire crackers is burst in the Disneylands all across the world every single day? You have no idea. But we must not light crackers on Diwali. How ironic is that?

We are sharing all these messages while sitting in air-conditioned offices and houses, the poisonous gas which our AC emits every single day is more harmful than a day of Diwali’s fire crackers……

Every Holi we are talking and spreading a message about save water, why don’t we save trees?

Do I want to just freak out and waste our resources? Definitely not. But our festivals are here for a purpose. They are being celebrated so as to teach everyone a way of life which is very very scientific. We are just taking one aspect of it and are on the verge of abolishing this culture by asking our younger generation to stop doing those things which are actually the soul of the festival.

If this continues we might lose a large and most important part of our cultural heritage and in turn may lose our younger generation to an influence which could be detrimental for our survival .

I have decided to really take care of Mother Nature by fighting for every tree I can save, and by planting more trees. I am going to raise questions when the hills around me are being shaved off. That’s what will give us more water and cleaner air not by stopping the kids from enjoying life.

Will I find that supporter for the real cause of saving nature in you? Or I will just get the environmentalist who is forwarding and sharing messages sitting in air-conditioned houses?