DARR DARR KAR KAB TAK DIWALI MANAAYENGE HUM . DUA KARO KI YE DIWALI DARR KA AAKHRI DIWALI HO .... By Ali Peter John

Corona and the cruel circumstances and an atmosphere of sheer fear has taken a decision to spoil and almost ruin all the chances of us having the kind of happy, prosperous and jubilant festival of lights, better known as Diwali - Ali Peter John

Appeals are being made by politicians, priests of different religions, social activists, environment specialists, scientists and doctors asking people to have a quiet and noise and pollution - free festival and if there is one thing they have asked us to strictly avoid is playing with fireworks of any kind.

Appeals are also being made to have an austere Diwali with there being taken about the kind of money that is splashed around in the decorations with all kinds of lights, stars, buntings and festoons and the rich food and sweets that are served and to use the money spent on them for the victims of Covid19 and other kinds of misery and suffering that has been ravaging the country and the world.

Appeals are also being made to keep away from the kind of gambling that goes on in the name of celebrating Diwali.

Children are very unhappy about their not being able to celebrate their favourite festival. And for Bollywood, it will perhaps be the first time that it will have to have a very dry, bland and even boring Diwali ........

It is against this backdrop that I decided to talk to some leading lights about the changing face of Diwali

BHARAT RATNA LATA MANGESHKAR

Mujhe maalum hai ki Diwali aa rahi hai. Lekin, iss waqt Diwali woh nahi hai jo har saal aati hai. sab sab se guzararish hai ki iss saal Diwali zara sambaal ke khelo.

Meri duaaye aap sab ke saath hai har saal ke jaise ishwar aap sab ko shanti aur sehat de.

SUBHASH GHAI

I wish one and all a very happy Diwali and I hope and pray that these bad times end soon and we get our Diwali back and we are able to celebrate it like we always have.

It has been a rough time for our film industry,but I hope to see the industry in a better light soon. The show has to and will go on, I am very optimistic about

SANJAY LEELA BHANSALI

Diwali woh sab se achi aur sachi hoti hai jo sache dilon mein kheli aur manayi jaati hai. Meri maa Leela ji aur mere taraf se sab ko dil se Diwali mubarak

DEEPTI NAVAL

This is going to be a very different kind of a Diwali for me. I am in my house in Mumbai now after the problem I had with my heart.

I have had my own way of celebrating Diwali and I don't think any thing about the festival will change for me

AAMIR KHAN

Celebrating Diwali is an essential part of the culture and traditions of our country and I and my family have always celebrated it.

But it is not going to be the same this year. I will be completing the shooting of my film , Lal Singh Chaddha during the festival. And isn't working hard to that the best results the best kind of festival.

MADHURI DIXIT NENE

I was planning to celebrate Diwali with my husband and my sons, Ryan and Arrin, but we humans can only plan but the fulfilment of our plans depends on that supreme power above. Happy Diwali to one and all

NITIN ANAND ( actor, stand-up comedian)

Hasna aur rona hi toh zindagi ka naam hai. Corona ne humko bahut rulaaya, lekin kya hum Corona ko hamesha ke liye jeetne denge.

Hum himmatwaale hai. Humne aise mushkile bahut jhele hai aur jeete hai aur humko hausla rakhkar roshni ke taraf badna chaayiye. Isi ka naam zindagi hai