NAGPUR: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday said firecrackers used in earlier times were not made with chemical substances and their smoke helped kill insects and pests around the harvest season.
Speaking at a Deepawali Milan programme here, Bhagwat said the smoke from such firecrackers also helped purify the atmosphere. He said firecrackers were used in the past as there were no alternative means to achieve the same purpose.
“The firecrackers of earlier times were not made using chemical substances as they are today. Their smoke helped kill insects and pests, particularly around the harvest season, and in a way, purified the atmosphere,” he said.
Bhagwat said lamps fuelled by ghee or oil created a particular kind of air in the environment, adding that traditional festival practices had a scientific rationale.
He urged people to understand their significance and observe festivals in the proper spirit. Festivals kept society alive and would continue despite opposition, he said.
Describing Diwali as a symbol of the triumph of light over darkness, Bhagwat said it also represented the spread of knowledge and the creation of a harmonious society. He said Diwali had gained international recognition, including in the US and UK Parliaments.
