…. turns into an orgy of noise.

Maybe it is just me, when I was younger – the lights and the sound were definitely a part of Diwali. But, in recent years – it has been less light and more sound.

Our neighbourhood sounds like something out of the West Bank or Iraq. A complete war zone. with loud sounding crackers going off all the time. And well past the 10 p.m. deadline for sound. Last night, I honestly thought that a real bomb had gone off – the sound was so loud and resonating that it was scary.

Rani is terrified. Her heart beat is at twice the normal pace. She keeps cowering under the table. Dad can hardly breathe.

Maybe Diwali day is not the best time to crib about the festival. But, somehow I think that the beauty and simplicity of the festival has been hijacked.

At home we still observe the ludicurously early hour of ganga snanam, and wishing the world peace and good will. But, both values seem to be on the decline. Year after year, the amount of money lavished and burnt is on the rise.

Sometimes I wonder, if we are an inconsiderate people? Is it a national trait – that we are more concerned with our own pleasure than the impact that our enjoyment has on society at large.