Celebs insist to celebrate a cracker-free Diwali

The celeb brigade champions the cause of a safe and cracker-less Diwali for the bachcha party.
Community crackers
“I don’t endorse the celebration of festivals with crackers, but it’s not easy to keep children away from them,” says singer Shaan, who celebrates Diwali with close friends, and this year too, will be celebrating the festival together with his friends and their families at some farm house.However, Shaan suggests an alternative to giving in to children’s demand at home: “Like it happens in so many other countries, we should also organize a firework display for a large crowd, so that the kids are not disappointed, and celebrate Diwali without crackers at homes.”
Turn to traditions
Kailash Kher too believes in celebrating a cracker-free Deepawali. “Diwali is the festival of lights, and traditionally, the festival was celebrated by adorning our homes with deep and flowers. It was never celebrated with crackers. Yeh toh abhi kuch saalon se zyada ho gaya hai,” says Kher, “But I can see a lot of people going back to traditional ways and saying no to crackers in their Diwali celebrations.” Kher adds, “My son Kabir will be three this December, and I will never encourage him to burn crackers.”
Jimmy's puja
For actor Jimmy Sheirgill, doing the Lakshmi puja with the family is the most important part of Diwali celebrations. “Yes we all should discourage the celebration of Diwali with crackers, and that’s what I tell my son Veer,” he emphasizes and adds, “Doing shaam ki puja with family forms the most important part of my celebrations,” says Jimmy, who may not be able to go home this time for Diwali, and will be in Lucknow for his shoot.
Stay safe
Manoj Bajpayee too endorses a cracker-free Diwali. “I think it will be fantastic if people adhere to practicing a safe and cracker-free Diwali,” he says, and adds, “A special Lakshmi puja on the day of the festivals keeps my whole family engaged on the day of the festival.”
Let there be light
Actress Mandira Bedi has been celebrating a cracker-less Diwali for the last few years. “Since a couple of years now, we just light up the house and don’t burst any crackers on Diwali. Crackers cause way too much air and sound pollution and are not safe as well,” she says. “Vir, my son, is just one-year-old, so I don’t know how the festival will be for him, but I will never encourage him to play with crackers when he grows older,” adds Mandira, whose Diwali is typically about “preparing kada prasad, sending out Diwali gifts to friends and spending time at home with family”.