Can Zoroastrians burst fire crackers during Diwali? (TMY-Jame Jamshed of 21-1-18)

1. Diwali is a Hindu festival of light. Generally Hindus burst fire crackers as a manifestation of light. However fire crackers carry along with them many harmful and negative effects which are extremely dangerous to humans, animals, economy and the environment.  Lighting fire crackers is now denounced by people of almost every faith because of its tremendous negative effects.

2. From a Zoroastrian point of view bursting crackers amounts to an insult to fire, which Zoroastrians regard as sacred and life giving. While lighting crackers, we play with, fling, throw and misuse fire.

3. Bursting crackers is dangerous to human life and limb. Even the lives of people who work in fire cracker industries are jeopardized. Many people, young and old, have lost their limbs and sight and have been scarred for life for no fault of theirs.

4. Fire crackers severely scare birds and animals, especially household pets like dogs, who exhibit a strange and unnatural behaviour when fire crackers are being burst.

5. One of the biggest damage done by fire crackers is that it creates a lot of smoke, smog and pollution in the environment which lasts for several days. Pollution is one of the biggest killers in the world. It is deadlier than war, smoking or hunger. In 2015 alone, ninety lakh people died prematuredly because of pollution.

6. Bursting fire crackers can even be seen as wasting money, since hundreds and thousands of rupees are spent for a few seconds of thrill. The same amount can be used in other constructive and more positive manner.

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