Are fire cracks really a part of diwali celebration?

Question

Are fire cracks really a part of diwali celebration? We're crakers always used in ancient times or they are just something that we cameup in recent times?

And is there any scriptural reference to this practice?

Answer 1

Are fire cracks really a part of diwali celebration?

Short Answer: NO

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There's no scriptural injunction in any way whatsoever which prescribe for burning crackers on the auspicious day of Diwali or Deepavali. Also, contrary to the popular belief that "Diwali is celebrated only because Shri Rama returned back to Ayodhaya after his vanavasa, there are several other reasons in different parts of India, another popular one being, the "Emergence of Bhagawati Lakshmi from Samundra Manthan and thus subsequent tradition of extolling and worshipping Goddess Mahalakshmi on the night of Diwali.

Now, there are several ways to look at this phenomenon of cracker burning:

• Historical Reasoning:
  - Although invention and use of crackers predates the modern civilization, starting at around 200 BCE itself from China. It'll however be plausible to make a case that burning cracker as a religious or cultural practice wasn't prevelant at all.
  

As discussed in this article:

“The use of fireworks in the celebration of Diwali, which is so common in India now, must have come into existence after about 1400 AD, when gunpowder came to be used in Indian warfare,” stated late historian P K Gode in his account, “History of Fireworks in India between 1400 and 1900,” published in 1950.

• Cultural Reasoning:
  - The present phenomenon of burning crackers, can also be understood through cultural (sociological & anthropological) lenses. One may (for the sake of arguement) put forward the view that burning crackers being "considered" as a religiously or culturally indispensable practices is similar to the "canonical-presumed" worship of Santoshi Mata, Sai Baba, et al., all of which, by any religious or theological standards, cannot be considered as Vedic or Puranic Divinities, despite being extolled and worshipped via the Vedic & Puranic practices. Here, it can be argued that the Brahman i.e, the Supreme Reality, it being everything, and thus can be worshipped in any form. What matter is the devotion, faith and beliefs of the devotee, which is what makes these deities "popular - Gods" among the masses, despite no religious basis or standard theologicallly verifiable scriptural stories, that might affirm their divinities. Thus, the "burning crackers" might be considered in a sociological setting as a typical example of negative "Cultural Appropriation" or Cultural adoption of foreign customs or practices.
  
  

• Religious Reasoning:
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The Rig-Veda mentions about environment on several occasions. Verses from the Rig-Veda states that

“the sky is like father, the earth like mother and the space as their son. The universe consisting of the three is like a family and any kind of damage done to any one of the three throws the universe out of balance”

Another verse from Rig-Veda says

“Thousands and Hundreds of years if you want to enjoy the fruits and happiness of life, then take up systematic planting of trees”

The Atharva Veda also mentions about the importance of air, water and green plants essential for human existence. Atharvaveda has also warned not to dirty and add toxic substances into water bodies as it may lead to spread of diseases “he who dirties or spoils ponds, lakes, rivers, etc., or cause smell near residential areas is liable to chastisement”.
Although there might not have been as such no concept of the word “Pollution” those days but it was referred in terms of “poisoning” of environment. So for translation sake, it may be called pollution too.

The A.V. 18.17 (Atharva Veda) recalls

that three things cover the universe the air, water and the plants and they are essential for all lives on earth to exist. “Plants and herbs destroy poisons (pollutants)” (A.V. 8.7.10); “Purity of atmosphere checks poisoning (pollution)” (A.V. 8.2.25). Some herbs purify the air. The fragrance of guru (Commiphora mukul) purifies the air and cure diseases (A.V. 19.38.1)

Also, Atharva Veda instructs 'Apo Vata Ashadhayah' means air and water are sacred and like natural medicines and so it is very important to keep clean and pure.

The Yajurveda too mentions about plants and animals, the ill effects of cutting of trees; and the poisoning of the atmosphere;

“No persons should kill animals helpful to all” (Y.V. 13.37). “O King you should never kill animals like bullocks useful in agriculture or like cows which gives us milk and all other helpful animals and must punish those who kill or do harm to such animals” (Y.V. 13.49). The oceans are treasure of wealth protect them” (Y.V. 38.22); “Do not poison (pollute) water and do not harm or cut the trees (Y.V. 6.33); “Do not disturb the sky and do not poison the atmosphere” (Y.V. 5.43).

NOW, it is not a hidden, unobservable or unverifiable scientific & empirical evidence based fact that burning crackers in any way, causes the pollution of air, water, land, sound, etc. Not only this, it also negatively impacts the pets and other animals because of their heightened and sensitive sensory systems which are more susceptible to environmental disturbances of any kind. And clearly, any deliberate harm to any jeeva or our envirnonment, is clearly not recommended in the Vedic literature, as discussed.

Furthermore, from the above detailed discussion, some light is thrown on the awareness of our ancient seers about the environment, and its constituents. It is clear that the Vedic vision to live in harmony with environment was not merely physical but was far wider and much comprehensive. The Vedic people desired to live a life of hundred years and this wish can be fulfilled only when environment will be unpolluted, clean and peaceful.

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And Thus, using our Indriya Prajñā & Boudhika Prajñā and the sacred Ritambara Prajñā acquired from the Vedas vis-a-vis the Historial, Cultural and Religious perspectives as discussed above, one may be able to arrive at an unequivocal conculsion that, the Vedic and Puranic culture and injunctions does not advocate for any kind of fire crackers for Diwali or any other celebration. It's is purely a culturally appropriated and custom-hybridized practice, developed over the course of time in this age of Kaliyuga.

Answer 2

No, they are not. There are a lot of people who abstain from the use of fireworks on Diwali and celebrate the festival peacefully. There are others who use them but it's upon individuals.

This article has covered almost all the reasons covered which happened like returning of Shri Ram to Ayodhya, the appearance of Mata Lakshmi in Ksheer Sagar and much more.

In India, there are many such things related to festivals which were started sometime in history and people enjoyed them. This made them a part of the festival and nobody gave much importance to the origin of those activities.

Answer 3

Yes, there is mention of firecrackers to celebrate the return of Bhagavan Rama, they were lit by fire and they would light up the skies.

Anand Ramayana, Sarga 3. 306,307

https://archive.org/details/HindiBookAnandRamayan/page/n43/mode/2up

तथा कृत्रिमवृक्षांश्च पताकाश्च वजांस्तथा । वह्निसंगादोपधीनां पुष्पवृक्षविनिमितान् ॥३०६॥ तडित्प्रभोपमांश्चापि गगनान्तबिंगजितान् । बहिसंज्ञादोपधाभ्यः प्राकारान् विविधान वरान्॥३०७॥

मनोहर मिट्टी आदिके वने हुए गमलों, वृक्षों तथा फूल पत्तियोंसे बनी हुई वाटिकाओंको, कृत्रिम वृक्षोंको पताकाओंको, ध्वजाओको, अग्निके संयोगसे जलनेवाले, तड़ितके समान रोशनीवाले और आकाश मे चमकनेवाले नाना प्रकारके आतशबाजीसे सजे पुष्प-वृक्ष लता आदिको, हजारों चन्द्रमाओंकी पांदनी के कृत्रिम दीपवृक्षोको, दीपमालाओंको, रथोम रक्खे हुए बनावटा व्याघ्र-ाज आदिको, औषधिसे भरे हुए मोर तथा चर्वी आदिको देखने लगे ॥