Festivals

Here are some incredibly easy hacks that you can try at home to ensure your Diwali binging ends on a safe and sweet note.

"I’m 47, and all these years, I’ve never seen my people burst crackers inside our village. We stay off from crackers even during temple Thiruvizhas."

The age-old ritual has not only become invariably synonymous with the festival but also an intrinsic part of the state’s cultural identity.

“Our artists have come up with these ideas after spending time with students of blind schools. Just as people who can see getting excited about Durga Puja when they see pandals coming up, the sound of sawing and nails being hammered into wooden planks makes the visually impaired realise that Puja is approaching.”

"You just need to have a solid reason to want to compost....mine was to hold back 60% of my daily trash from reaching the landfill and lessen the burden on my municipality and my planet."

“There is nothing Hindu or Sikh about this festival. We all love Ganpati Bappa."

"It hurts when you see your god lying in bits and pieces. We don't have the right to mess with our environment for the sake of a festival,"

James Wales landed in India upon invitation from Sir Charles Malet, a diplomat for the East India Company stationed in the court of the Peshwa Marathas.

The mandal that usually spends over Rs 5 lakh for extravagant festivities like fancy lights, musical fountains, dhol-tasha troupes and music - has reduced it drastically to a mere 20 percent of the original cost.

With the public becoming increasingly conscious about the fragile state of the environment, many are doing their bit to ensure that they only opt for eco-friendly idols and decorations. Taking this thought forward, many mandals have also decided to join the bandwagon and go green.