Wanted - A festival that celebrates nature

Nature is the visible representation of an invisible God. Yet, we do not have a festival that celebrates it. Every celebration these days is so commercial, it leaves a big carbon footprint and garbage behind. With an exploding population, our traditional festivals are not scalable at all. These festivals were originally designed for small villages that have more open spaces than people. But in an urban setting there are more people per square feet as the cities grow vertically. No points in guessing what happens when celebrations happen within this small area.

The template for the new festival can be as follows.

Why?

To celebrate a day for the nature, that would only leave behind lasting memories, cleaner neighbourhood (waterbodies, soil and air). Not garbage filled neighbourhood and scared birds and animals.

When?

On the day of the Vernal Equinox (20/21 March) when the life giving Sun God shows no partiality between northern and southern hemisphere as far as the amount of sunlight is concerned.

What?

• Day starts with a plogging event to keep our surrounding clean

• Followed by planting of trees and/or taking care of dying plants/trees

• The day then progresses with festivities - songs, dances, and storytelling to celebrate nature.

• Gifts should be avoided, unless it is in the form of plants.

• When the sun comes down, rows of natural diyas (lamps) may be lit to thank nature.

• Day ends with a feast (without using disposables), with the feast starting with everyone thanking nature again for providing food for us. Everyone takes extra care to avoid food wastage.