Gated communities to celebrate Diwali with the sound of music, not crackers

COIMBATORE: With each passing year, more residents are making a conscious decision to celebrate an eco friendly Diwali. Many gated communities in the city have especially come forward to enjoy the festival without causing damage to the environment.
At Covai Property Centre, a gated community dedicated for senior citizens, the residents have a proper plan in place to spend October 29th evening."The idea is to have a noiseless Diwali. There are no crackers burst in our society. We will have the entire society lit up with serial lights, lamps and Kuthuvizhaku," the managing director of the society, Colonel A Sridharan said.
There are 130 families in the society. They will be spending the evening with music, dance, games and dinner. "We will start the evening with some music, which will be followed by some Karaoke. A game of Tambola has also been organised and the evening will end with a special dinner," Sridharan said.
It does not cost the society much to organise this celebration. "We have been doing this for 12 years now. Most of the infrastructure is already in place and it's a one-time investment. We have only spent on arranging the dinner which is affordable. The entire society contributes," the colonel said.
At Serene Senior Living, the residents plan to celebrate with dance and music. "It is a special occasion for the entire community. Like every festival, we wish to celebrate Diwali with the same fervour and festivity. But, the difference lies in celebrating the day to the sound of music and not to that of crackers," said Jency. "We will have music and dance performances for our residents. The good thing is that such celebrations help the entire community come together," she said.
While some gated communities have decided to completely avoid crackers this Diwali, there are many who have realized the adverse effects of bursting crackers, and have decided to cut down the use of crackers gradually. "There is a realization among adolescents and adults not to burst crackers, but every society has children. And, a ban on crackers in the society could end up upsetting them," said the president of Santham Welfare Association, A Purushottaman. "We have decided to cut down the use of crackers as far as possible. We hope to see the society celebrating an eco-friendly Diwali soon," he said.