Diwali is a festival of cleanliness and it is important that we take this aspect very seriously this year. It is a good time to discard what is not needed in the house and avoid the spread of any kind of infection or disease. Celebrations with family are fine this year but if you decide to involve people from outside, make sure that you follow the safety protocols well.

While it is better to avoid crowding, in cases where you need to call people over, remember the two keywords: wear a mask and maintain a distance. Some key takeaways from the session on celebrating festivals are as follows:

1. About 15 minutes of cumulative meetings can spread infections. Maintain physical distance and wear a mask at all times. Winters freeze the lipid layer of viruses. If they get into the nose, they can get stuck there and give infection.

2. Those who wish to apply mehndi can be innovative this year and only do so on the feet. In case you are getting married and also want to apply on your hands, make sure you keep them on both sides. There should a distance of at least 3 feet between the applier’s mouth and the client’s to avoid face to face transmission.

3. For Diwali pooja, it is good to place the Diyas outside the house to reduce the rate of transmission. Do not send mithai and chocolate. Send educational links or a packet of masks since most of those available in the market are not the right ones.

4. Avoid crackers completely. They can lead to pollution which can further increase CRP. In case the person gets COVID-19, the severity will increase because of pollution.

5. Do not consume alcohol since it can increase the chances of fatty liver. About 18 ml of whiskey is harmless but anything over and above can be detrimental.

6. Open air parties are better. To prevent any kind of infection, cross ventilation is very essential which cannot happen in a room with just one window or none at all.

Padma Shri Dr K K Aggarwal
President, Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI)

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Wisdom from Diwali festival – Diwali is one of the most valued festivals of India. The significance of Diwali is the victory of good over evil or the devastation of all negative qualities – ferocity, irritation, fear, jealousy, greed, etc, to embrace more positivity. Let’s pay attention to the true meaning of Diwali and run-through some key values that can play a significant role in shaping the daily lifestyle.

Eliminate darkness and convey brightness in our life.

People light diyas and lamps to remove darkness of the night and dispel the darkness of soul. This reminds us to kindle inner light, which protects us from spiritual darkness. But it should be noted, to limit the use of cheap plastic decorative items. These are not eco-friendly and cannot be disposed-off post-Diwali. So buy earthen lamps or diyas and avoid using plastic decorative electric lights. Lighting earthen lamps is a symbolic representation of kindling the divinity within us.

Remove negativity to bring positivity in our life.

We clean our home to welcome the goddess Laxmi as it is believed that the Goddess will enter our home and bring good fortune. All dirty things and rubbish are removed from the houses. That means we should cleans our heart by burning ego, hatred, anger and greed, so that God can live in our heart.

Discipline

Diwali usually starts with the Brahmamuhurta (around 4:00 a.m).  This hours of the morning are said to be the ideal time for improving efficiency, procuring knowledge, attaining moral discipline, developing physical and mental health, and thereby attaining professional and personal success.

Humility and patience

Lord Rama was always an example of perfect son to his parents, ideal protector of Dharma and an ideal of morality. We should take motivation from lord Rama not only for his tolerance but also for living a life of dharma and virtue. We also pray to lord Hanuman for giving the strength to stick to dharma despite any difficulty and odds.

Improve social life

During festival visiting friends and family and sharing the holiday improves our social life. It always gives the sense of warmth and togetherness. This adds lot of joy and festivity in the air.

At the outset, the duty of an individual is to understand moral, economic, psychological and spiritual values. These are also considered to be the basic objects of human pursuit. Remember to celebrate green Diwali and use fireworks that do not make whole lot of noise and pollution.

Mrs. D.A. Kalpaja
Chairperson
Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre 

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