[ad_1]
More than 1 billion Indians celebrated Independence Day on Saturday amid twin concerns of a resurgence in coronavirus infections and rising air pollution engulfing the north of the country in a cloud of thick toxic fog.
Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, is typically celebrated by socializing and exchanging gifts with friends and family, and lighting oil lamps or candles to symbolize a victory of light over darkness. Fireworks are also an important part of the celebrations.
But this year, the pandemic is changing some of the celebrations in India, particularly in Delhi, the capital, which has seen a further surge in coronavirus infections in recent weeks, recording more new cases than any other Indian state.
On Saturday, many temples across the country streamed prayer sessions online to avoid large gatherings. In Delhi, concerned residents opted for low-key celebrations. Some even stayed home and did not visit friends or family.
“It is not the usual Diwali,” said Vishwas Malik, 47, a teacher in Delhi. “The exchange of gifts is minor and we have not interacted with people. We have not visited people’s homes for fear of the coronavirus ”.
In an effort to encourage people to stay at home, Delhi Prime Minister Arvind Kejriwal and some of his ministers held a prayer ceremony in a large temple. The prayers were broadcast on television and social media.
Kejriwal said last week that the pandemic was spreading rapidly in the capital due to increased air pollution. He called on people not to set off firecrackers on Diwali, hoping to mitigate the damaging effect of toxic air on those who are most vulnerable during the pandemic. Firecrackers often cause spikes in Delhi’s notoriously bad pollution.
The link between air pollution and worsening Covid-19 cases is still mostly theoretical at this time. But several researchers have said that in addition to factors such as mask use, social distancing, population density and temperature, dirty air should also be considered a key element in coronavirus outbreaks.
India has confirmed 8.7 million cases of the coronavirus, including 129,000 deaths. While it ranks second in the world in total cases behind the US, daily infections have declined since mid-September.
Shoppers in Delhi had been filling markets across the country, raising concerns among health experts who warned that crowded celebrations could cause a resurgence of the virus that could overwhelm India’s healthcare system. But in the run-up to Diwali, messages encouraging people to stay home during the festival buzzed around town via WhatsApp.
“This Diwali is more about survival. It’s about being thankful that we can still breathe and be alive for this day. Stay home, ”said one of those messages.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued his custom of celebrating Diwali with Indian soldiers, flying to a military post in the western state of Rajasthan, where he distributed sweets to troops and took a tank ride.
“You may be in snow-capped mountains or deserts, but my Diwali is complete only when I celebrate it with you,” Modi said in his address to the troops.
