Why I Love Fireworks During Diwali


It makes driving on Bangalore's roads exciting:

I'm pretty bored with the mundane driving experience in Bangalore (dodging cows, people, autos, sweepers, what-have-you) everyday. Diwali gives me an opportunity to test my driving skills; which begins with spotting the cracker bang in the middle of the road. I get the chance to test my alertness levels; scanning the footpaths (well – whatever is left of them) for any sign of a person holding an incense stick or a matchbox. These are pointers to crackers on the road. And the fun that I have avoiding these crackers and driving on! Boy-oh-boy!!!


Weeding out the sick and elderly from our population:

Our population is bloating. And there are many who are sick, who have asthma. Bangalore is polluted enough even without the fireworks. Now we have a chance to choke them even further. Then, there are people who have heart problems. It gives me sadistic pleasure to sometimes drive very close to them and then honk loudly. The look on their faces! Heaven. And in spite of all this, such people want to stay on in the city. How dare they? I am glad that God gave us Diwali which is an excuse to weed out such people from amongst us healthier, more responsible citizens. Now I can burst these fireworks right in their faces so they either collapse because of the pollution; or get an attack because of the sudden explosion of the fireworks!


Opportunity to take revenge on my neighbours:

I vividly remember the time when my next door neighbor parked his horse in front of my gate. The mutt! Now, what better time than Diwali to get back at him? I can fire those rockets at will – in whatever direction I wish. Yesterday I fired 2 into his balcony, one into his bathroom; and one under his car. Serves him right – the wretched fellow. But oh! This is Deepavali. I should not be having such negative thoughts. But anyways .. what is done is done. God bless him.



And this list is just the top three reasons! Now, let those “Please-have-a-fireworks-free-Diwali” types better THAT! Ha!

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Update [20th October '09]:

In case you are wondering what the other reasons I love fireworks might be, well here are some


Would the Gods Brand Me an Atheist If ....


.... instead of burning my money on firecrackers during Diwali (probably inflicting burn wounds on someone in the process), I were to donate the same money and time to cure a poor child of the burns she has suffered?

.... instead of splurging on Ganesha idols (which will end up at the
bottom of a pond anyway) and feeding him umpteen varieties of eatables , I were to feed a hungry child with the same money?

.... instead of literally wasting money and resources during every festival (and we have no dearth of festivals - do we?), I were to do something constructive which has timely relevance (for example, do something for the Bihar flood victims right now)?

Festivals are meant to be kind of family reunions - which is all the more relevant in today's scheme of things - where families are scattered everywhere. Festivals are meant to be occasions for middle class people to indulge in a little materialism - like purchase new clothes for children, gift yourselves a TV/fridge/vehicle.

Alas! The original meaning and intention have dissolved totally. Festivals are now a question of who splurges more. I want my Ganapati idol to be bigger and more lavishly decorated than my neighbours'. I want to show off to the whole village that I burst the maximum firecrackers during Diwali. It is a competition.

I have decided that I am going to celebrate festivals in their original spirit. I wonder whether the Gods would brand me an atheist and punish or curse me for doing so ..... !!!!


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