It will be a Diwali sans the sparkles for several Vizagites who have decided to stay away from ostentatious celebrations and are saying no to crackers as a gesture of support to those affected by the cyclonic storm Hudhud.
Many have taken to social media sites to propagate the idea ‘Say No To Crackers’ as the city is surrounded with dry tree branches and leaves that can easily catch fire. “Vizag has been struck with water and air. Don’t let the city get hit with fire,” says Siddharth Ram, who along with many other youngsters, have started a social media campaign to spread awareness. Messages on Whatsapp about the disastrous effect of crackers are being circulated.
The family of Ashish and Sunita Dhariwal are not only going to keep away from crackers, but they have also decided to avoid the exchange of sweets among families, a traditional practice during Diwali.
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“We will have a simple Diwali this time. The mood is so dull that nobody wants to spend lavishly. We have decided to donate the amount towards relief and restoration work. It is such a despairing sight to see our Vizag in such a state sans the greens. This is the time to get together and bring the beauty of the city back,” says Sunita Dhariwal. Many families are planning to keep the festive celebrations low this time. With the city plunged into darkness for the past one week, it has been a big struggle for Vizagites grappling with no water supply, long queues at fuel stations and poor network connectivity. Many have cancelled their upcoming programmes for the festive season and have pledged to work towards rebuilding Vizag.
Every Diwali, the family of K. Prashanthi come together to organise a family get-together on a grand scale and spend the evenings lighting deepams and bursting crackers. But this year it will be different.
“We have got together to clear up the fallen trees around our localities and our Diwali celebrations will be to plant saplings in our neighbourhood so that the future generations can see Vizag and its real beauty,” she says.
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With the mood being sombre, the markets too are expecting low business this year. The few malls that are open have a deserted look. At One Town area, a handful of crackers shops are open. “This is the most trying times the city has ever faced. But we hope that the Festival of Lights manages to bring in some light and cheer in everyone’s life. We are hopeful that the business will pick up by Monday,” says a shopkeeper.