Everyone of us is once more drowned in the festivity with the commencing of Tihar, a great Hindu festival. As usual, with Tihar approaching near, the use of firecrackers has also

increased. Wherever we go, sudden blasts of firecrackers can be heard. In fact, burning of firecrackers has become a way of celebrating Tihar for many children. But, is it a prudent way?

Firecrackers can be very hazardous and a minor recklessness can invite serious peril. A child might lose his/her eyes and burn several body parts with its rash use. We often hear such news every year.

Taking this fact into consideration, even the government urges the public to stop playing with crackers and has even attempted to ban its use. However, children waste a lot of money in purchasing the useless crackers. This wilful waste can bring woeful consequences. Firecrackers can impair various body parts and can jeopardise our lives. Then, there’ll be no option left except to rue the day.

So, let’s be cautious so that we do not need to repent later on. Exploding firecrackers during Tihar may be our culture, but are all ways correct? There are umpteen unreasonable customs in our society that should be done away with considering them as the demand of time. So, let’s dispose of the system of burning firecrackers to be safe.

— Debesh Shrestha, Class XII, SOS

Hermann Gmeiner HS School, Sanothimi