ALL NEWS

India celebrates Diwali amid pandemic, pollution fears

Nov 14, 2020, 9:25 AM
India celebrates Diwali amid pandemic, pollution fears...
People play with fireworks during Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in Prayagraj, India, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020. Hindus across the country are celebrating Diwali where people decorate their homes with lights and burst fireworks. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
(AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

NEW DELHI (AP) — More than a billion Indians celebrated Diwali on Saturday amid twin concerns of a resurgence in coronavirus infections and rising air pollution that is enveloping the country’s north in a cloud of thick toxic smog.

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 a major part of the celebrations.

But this year, the pandemic is upending some of the celebrations in India, particularly in New Delhi, the capital, which has seen a renewed spike 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 New Delhi, worried residents opted for low-key celebrations. Some even stayed home and didn’t visit friends or relatives.

“It’s not the usual Diwali,” said Vishwas Malik, 47, a professor in New Delhi. “The exchange of gifts is less and we have not interacted with people. We have not visited people’s homes because of the fear of the coronavirus.”

In a bid to encourage people to stay home, New Delhi’s chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, and some of his ministers held a prayer ceremony at a grand temple. The prayers were broadcast on television and social media.

Kejriwal said last week that the pandemic was spreading fast in the capital due to the rising air pollution. He appealed to people to not burst firecrackers on Diwali, in hopes of mitigating the harmful effect of toxic air on those who are more vulnerable during the pandemic. Firecrackers often cause spikes in New Delhi’s notoriously bad pollution.

The link between air pollution and worsening COVID-19 cases remains mostly theoretical at the moment. But several researchers have said that in addition to factors such as mask wearing, 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 is second in the world in total cases behind the U.S., daily infections have been on the decline since the middle of September.

Shoppers had been packing markets across the country, prompting concerns among health experts who warned that crowded celebrations could cause a virus resurgence that could batter India’s healthcare system. But ahead of Diwali, messages encouraging people to stay home during the festival whizzed around New Delhi via WhatsApp.

“This Diwali is more about survival. It is about being grateful that we are still able to breathe and be alive for this day. Please stay home,” read one such message.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued with his custom of celebrating Diwali with Indian soldiers, flying to a military post in western Rajasthan state where he distributed sweets among troops and took a tank ride.

“You may be on snow-capped mountains or in deserts, but my Diwali is complete only when I celebrate with you,” Modi said in his address to the troops.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Today’s Top Stories

All News

A bill that could make its way to the Utah legislature in the 2023 session would require school dis...
Lindsay Aerts

New state flag referendum group ‘confident’ despite low signature numbers

SALT LAKE CITY — The group working to repeal Utah’s new state flag says they’re confident they’ll gather enough signatures to get the issue on the ballot, despite having turned in less than 1% of the required signatures as of Friday. As of midday, the group had 502 approved signatures. They need 134,298 by April […]
19 hours ago
the new utah state flag design is pictured...
Waverly Golden

Not everyone is a fan of Utah’s new state flag

A group is working to repeal Utah's new state flag, saying they already have 502 signatures approved towards getting the issue on the ballot. 
19 hours ago
On the latest KSL Greenhouse show, Taun and Maria gave tips on what you can do if you're seeing sno...
Michelle Lee

What you can do about snow mold in your lawn

SALT LAKE CITY – Snow is starting to melt in some areas, which means you might be seeing some snow mold on your lawn. Although there isn’t much you can do to prevent that from happening, Taun and Maria gave some tips on the latest KSL Greenhouse show. How can you tell if there’s snow […]
19 hours ago
buy-back guns...
Adam Small

Got unwanted guns? Salt Lake Police say bring them to buy-back event

For the second year in a row, the Salt Lake City Police Department will host a guns buy-back event at the Public Safety Building located at 475 South 300 East.
19 hours ago
Utah's unemployment rate remains one of the lowest nationally, according to the Salt Lake Chamber's...
Waverly Golden

Utah’s unemployment rate remains one of the lowest nationally

Utah's unemployment rate remains one of the lowest nationally, according to the Salt Lake Chamber's Roadmap to Prosperity Dashboard.
19 hours ago
Gwyneth Paltrow sits during her trial...
SAM METZ

Gwyneth Paltrow is testifying in Utah trial over 2016 ski collision where a man accuses her of leaving him brain damaged

Next week, Paltrow's team is expected to call to the stand medical experts, ski instructors and her two children, Moses and Apple.
19 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Cheerful young woman writing an assignment while sitting at desk between two classmates during clas...
BYU EMBA at the Marriott School of Business

Hear it Firsthand: 6 Students Share Their Executive MBA Experience at BYU’s Marriott School of Business

The Executive MBA program at BYU offers great opportunities. Hear experiences straight from students enrolled in the program.
Skier being towed by a rider on a horse. Skijoring....
Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking for a new winter activity? Try skijoring in Bear Lake

Skijoring is when someone on skis is pulled by a horse, dog, animal, or motor vehicle. The driver leads the skiers through an obstacle course over jumps, hoops, and gates.
Banner with Cervical Cancer Awareness Realistic Ribbon...
Intermountain Health

Five common causes of Cervical Cancer – and what you can do to lower your risk

January is National Cervical Cancer Awareness month and cancer experts at Intermountain Health are working to educate women about cervical cancer.
Kid holding a cisco fish at winterfest...
Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Get ready for fun at the 2023 Bear Lake Monster Winterfest

The Bear Lake Monster Winterfest is an annual weekend event jam-packed full of fun activities the whole family can enjoy.
happy friends with sparklers at christmas dinner...
Macey's

15 easy Christmas dinner ideas

We’ve scoured the web for you and narrowed down a few of our favorite Christmas dinner ideas to make your planning easy.
Spicy Homemade Loaded Taters Tots...
Macey's

5 Game Day Snacks for the Whole Family (with recipes!)

Try these game day snacks to make watching football at home with your family feel like a special occasion. 
India celebrates Diwali amid pandemic, pollution fears