For Development: Let's take a vow to think and live this sitting year

Hasmukh Patel

2 On Diwali, one childhood experience does not go unremembered. I must have been nine or ten years old then. We have an elder called Medla Bapu working to graze cattle there. unmarried Age about fifty-five to sixty. Temperament is harsh, so it will not last long. We worked there in two groups for three-four years. Salary fifteen rupees and rotla. Do your work with heart. If there is no one in the family, take 2nd rarely. On the day of the sitting year, he took leave and went to meet everyone in the village. As we are natives of that village and live in the farm, we have no special relation with the village. Taking five rupees a year, he went to meet everyone in the village. When they came back, they brought firecrackers, burst the firecrackers to drive away the cows to relieve their lethargy. There was a poor family in the village. Crackers were also given to their children. Death of someone in a family means that sweets are not made in their house and crackers are not bought. Sweets and crackers were also given to their children. This event is not remembered every Diwali. A person with a normal income remembers and takes care of everyone on every occasion. How often does this happen today? How do we celebrate today? How to live? Are we aware of our lower income brothers and sisters? Our festivals and events have become a means of wealth display. Unrecognized cuisines from around the world are wasted in our wedding gatherings. Outside the marriage ceremony, poverty is crippling. Poor parents worry about not getting enough during Diwali while those who have a lot of money splurge on undesired liquor. The sound of such firecrackers is heard every Diwali, but I had to see such firecrackers once. A young man from a happy home would light a lampshade full of 10-20 bombs and walk away. One after another the bombs explode in the sky. He doesn't even have to watch it. When the whole khokhi is finished, put another khokhi. This must have lasted for half an hour. I thought, what fun would that be? When we were small, we used to take out crackers one by one. Thinking about it, it occurred to me that we used to get happy like children watching the bursting of different firecrackers in different ways, their light etc. Perhaps, this young man would be happy to have enough money to buy and burst such expensive crackers. It had nothing to do with the sight-audio of fireworks. Not only in festivals, events or fireworks, if we have money, we use it without worrying about others. Whether it is disturbing the sleep of the elderly or adding to the smog-induced pollution. Why can he be expected to care for the environment if he does not care for his neighbor? Those who have money build more and more elaborate structures, bigger houses, air-conditioning in houses and unlimited use. For centuries we have done more damage to the environment than we have done in decades or years. But remember, nothing comes for free. We have to pay the price for the way we live today. Still paying now. We will have money to pay in the future, but not the tools. Not only the richest people in the world, but also the richest countries will not be able to pay the price of the environment. In the rush of wealth, we have forgotten the value of relationships. Just like the environment, no amount of wealth in the world can give us mental health. It is not fair to say that everyone does or that everything is bad. People who are on the right path should guide others. Let us return to whatever we have gone astray. Let's take a vow to think and live this sitting year. }