Mode of celebration – will it ever change?
Posted on January 21st, 2013
Dr. Mareena Reffai
We have been having a few celebrations during the period of a month or so- Christmas, New year etc. Instead of joy it brought headaches to many by the loud noised fire crackers. We Srilankans have degenerated into showing our happiness by being noisy, wasteful, un caring for otherƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s inconvenience and most of all blind followers. What is happening to our country men?
The dawn of the new year was terribly marred by the irritating firecrackers going off at frequent intervals disturbing many people peace and sleep. Children and infants ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ kept waking up terrified. What sort of pleasure do we draw from such horrendous noise?
It was a great relief that Pongal did not see this horrible mode of celebration.
Every single one of us know that fireworks are dangerous and wasteful not to mention the mess it leaves behind. On new yearƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s day I was driving ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ on Galle road in Wellawathe and saw a young worker from a shop lighting firecrackers and throwing it right onto ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the middle of the Galle road. How dangerous it could be did not strike this man nor the few onlookers. An unsuspecting driver could have driven over it and what if it went off just when he was going over it? Sometimes a firecracker does not go off for some time and goes off suddenly. What if a jay walker happen to step on it and it went off?
It is time we as a whole nation recognized the absurdity of using fire crackers to show our joy. Without making every other personƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s life miserable by the noise, without putting otherƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s lives and limbs ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in danger, without littering our surrounding with foul smelling garbage and without filling a fewƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ uncaring mudalalisƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ fat pocket ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” letƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s come out with a resolution ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” never to use the firecrackers to show our happiness. As a sane nation ( are we?) letƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s think sense and ban firecrackersƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ totally or have a few specified places where people can watch them from a safe distance at specific times.
Unless there is widespread awareness and determination we will keep on doing these stupid practices and unthinking uncaring forever.
January 21st, 2013 at 5:34 pm
I agree. Thank you.
But there is a BIGGER nuisense that happens DAILY not just during celebrations!
I was in SL 3 years ago and was sleeping. Suddenly I was jolted from by bed by VERY LOUD howling from a nearby mosque. The screaming was as if the howler was stabbed to death. I don’t know how people put up with it EVERYDAY.
“Without making every other person’s life miserable by the noise, without littering our surrounding with foul smelling garbage and without filling a few uncaring Arabic mudalalis’ fat pocket – let’s come out with a resolution – never to use howling and LOUD speakers to show our faith.”
January 21st, 2013 at 8:58 pm
What nonsence this Mareena Achchi saying.
Biggest irritating noise in the world is the 5.30 ALLAH HULLALLAH noice polution by Islamic pests.
As kid we looked forward to “fire crackers ” day , let it be christmas of new year.
What this woman wants if FIRE BOMBs.
January 21st, 2013 at 9:00 pm
Pass the laws to do little things. Get rid of Mareenas
1. Gonibilla dress should not be permitted at all times, inside and outside the houses, for security reasons.
2. No more mosques and demolish all non-approved ones.
3. All teachers of moderate Islam should be registered ( not with Islamic council of Saudi but with the Government of Sri lanka). Areest all those preaching unregistered and send to Saudi for beheading or keeping.
4. Teach core Buddhist teaching in all schools and without a pass in Buddhism they go nowhere.
5. No rooms of worship in building.
6. No worshipping or preaching of Islam in public.
7. Strictly no cut-off of genitals
8. No Hallal way of killing of animals.
9. All the violent words in both Quran and Bible should be amended to peaceful words if those useless books to be used in Sri lanka.
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:39 am
Lorenzo beat me to this comment. Mareena, welcome back.We adore you for your hilarious articles.
January 22nd, 2013 at 4:42 am
Well there is a celebration in the name of an imaginary character where countless innocent cattle, goats and camels have to give their lives………slaughtered in the most brutal manner.
I guess its “Mode of Celebration – will it ever change”
January 22nd, 2013 at 4:52 am
Lorenzo, you are right,
In this age of technology can’t these people figure out a more quiet way of calling each other without howling…… like sending five SMS a day? If you SMS “Talaq Talaq Talaq” to your wife you have divorced her, plain and simple. Why not for this as well?