The commercialization of festival Diwali has eroded their real significance -views?

Answer 1

Commercialization has far reaching effects on festivals across the globe. The impact of commercialization has marred the real meaning of religious and traditional customs. I express my views hereafter in favour of the topic. The growing trend of globalization has cast negative impression on age old beliefs. People tend to celebrate festivals not only as a customary practice but also as a means to exercise their spending power. In this way, festivals loose their real significance since their aim was first, to spread love and peace and second, to celebrate the festival keeping in mind the reason why the festival was being celebrated. How many people today celebrate festivals, keeping in mind the religious/ spiritual connection? There are also some religious stories and incidents because of which a festival came into being, about which a majority of us are still unaware and we do not even make an effort to find out about them.

The main reason for which people look forward to festivals is a holiday from work to enjoy and relax. Many of them do not even bother about doing a religious ceremony, or thinking about any deity related with the festival even once. What excites them the most is showing off their wealth by exchanging gifts. Even middle-class people are caught up in this trap. Earlier, people would take out time to wish friends and relatives, but now people tend to feel that they have done their duty by just sending an SMS. In fact their day should begin with pure joy and end with pure satisfaction, of doing a good deed, that is spreading love.

Earlier, festivals like diwali and holi were family occasions. Diwali was celebrated by lighting small diyas and candles, having a small puja and burning a few crackers to rejoice the homecoming of Rama along with Sita and Laxman from his exile in Ayodhya on this day. Houses were white-washed and new clothes were bought. But now with commercialization it's a pure show of money, people buy designer lights,...

Answer 2

Dīvali (or Dīpāwali, often written Deepavali) is a significant festival in Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism, and an official holiday in India. Adherents of these religions celebrate Diwali as the Festival of Lights. They light diyas-cotton-like string wicks inserted in small clay pots filled with coconut oil-to signify victory of good over the evil within an individual. The only concerns about the commercialization of the festival are regarding the prolifiration of firecrackers. Levels of SO2 (Sulphur dioxide) and RSPM (respirable suspended particulate matter) was found marginally higher on Diwali day. Crackers, which use large quantities of sulphur and paper, spew out sulphur dioxide and charcoal into the air, also lead and other metallic substances are suspended in the air causing respiratory problems. Considering these facts, bursting of crackers is prohibited in silent zones i.e. near hospitals, schools and courts.