TO BURST OR NOT TO BURST LT COL NOEL ELLIS 05/XI/2021 There is a lot of debate whether we should light firecrackers on Diwali or not. Some say to hell with Court orders. Who are they to decide? ‘Air Pollution’ is not due to crackers alone, they argue. Well, I am not getting into the ‘ifs and buts’ of all that. Definitely a small Rangoli, ‘earthen lamps’, candles & fairy lights are part of the outdoors. Our daughter does the honours for ‘Rangoli’. Earlier, I would take her to the market to buy colours, now she has grown up and gets them on her own. As a child she would insist on buying crackers too. Most girls are not into bombs, especially loud sounding ones. Flares, anars, fulljharis, snake ki tikli, chakris and rockets are fine. Papas are around to ensure that there is a lit candle available to light the next cracker. The local potter market too does brisk business. Diya’s are bought well in advance, soaked i...