On the eve of Deepavali, Chittoor-based social worker Parvathareddi Parthasarathy Naidu (75) visited the rural villages on the outskirts, and distributed crackers and clothes to the rural poor.
The septuagenarian, a farmer, has been celebrating festive occasions with downtrodden families and patients suffering from life-threatening diseases since two decades.
Taking a truck load of soft crackers, Mr. Naidu took a whirlwind visit of the rural villages around Chittoor on Friday, distributing the gift packets to children.
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His childhood friends and village elders arranged community celebration of fireworks at Obanapalle, Pantrampalle and several localities.
Happiness
Speaking to the media, Mr. Naidu said in view of the high cost of crackers, a number of families in urban and rural areas stay away from fireworks.
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“Due to poverty, many children don’t have the opportunity of buying crackers. It gives me some happiness to see light in their lives by distributing crackers at their doorsteps,” he said.
Traditional touch
The ageing social worker observed that he wanted to spread a message among both rural and urban households to give priority to lighting traditional oil lamps on their verandas, which would truly enliven the Deepavali celebrations.
He observed that parents should take the lead in sensitizing children about the need to continue the tradition of lighting lamps, which in the longer run help them avoid crackers.
“As a prelude, I am now distributing soft-natured crackers such as flowerpots and sparklers along with pramidhas [small clay saucers], totally avoiding sound-making items,” he said.
Mr. Naidu also has a desire to see people celebrating various festivals as community events in the towns and villages rather than as isolated occasions among individual households.