Cool, responsible and digital – here’s how Diwali has changed over the years

• Diwali, the festival of lights, is not just about crackers anymore.
• People have become conscious and are stepping away from the pollution making crackers.
• It’s also about digital payments, card parties and more this Diwali.

Everyone has childhood memories of Diwali, you aren’t much concerned about the puja but definitely about the prasad (offering to the deity), the end of the puja, also means it’s time for crackers with your siblings.

But over the years, Diwali has changed.

The cool Diwali

In some places, Diwali has now taken a cool turn.

In the metro cities, the onset of Diwali means card parties have begun (get your outfits in order, remember – don’t burn a patakha (cracker),be one). Delhi’s roads in the night are not so lonely with cars going to or returning from these oh-so-fancy parties. And of course, how can we forget the Diwali hashtag for the party?

Corporates too get in the festive fervour as they try to outdo each other with the Diwali celebration in their offices and the gifts they give away to their employees.

The digital Diwali

No, we are not just talking about the Diwali tradition of going to people’s homes to wish now being converted to WhatsApp messages and video calls. But you do wake up on the day, to the scores of WhatsApp forwards wishing you a happy Diwali.

But another way technology has development that has worked for the good for Diwali is digital payments. Over the years, with people ditching cash for their Diwali shopping.

A recent survey conducted by ACI Worldwide, a leading global provider of real-time electronic payment and banking solutions, showed that during the festive season, digital payments are the preferred payment option for 42 percent of consumers in India, leading card payments (29%) and cash (27%).

The responsible Diwali

Today, Diwali also means pollution is going to hit the danger mark. So the environmentally conscious have stopped bursting crackers and are also spreading the message to reduce the use of crackers.

In Delhi, the hotbed of air pollution, the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has requested people to ditch the crackers and get together at Connaught Place for a light and laser show along with food.

Along with pollution, crackers are also dangerous for animals. The loud sound from crackers leaves dogs scared, while the burning crackers also put stray animals in danger.

But there’s one thing that seems to remain constant about Diwali – the festival of lights brings family and friends together, marks the beginning of the end-of-the-year festivities and for people all across India – there’s no one way to celebrate Diwali.