Diwali and Guy Fawkes is a time you either love or hate, depending on whether you’re joining in the celebration or comforting your animals during the noisy celebration and colourful fireworks display. It’s a time of great joy, particularly for the Hindu community celebrating the Festival of Lights, but it can also be a time of sadness when hundreds of terrified pets run away from their homes, and with some injury to humans and domestic animals.
Send us your comments. Are you celebrating this Diwali and Guy Fawkes?
According to the eThekwini municipality website, the control of display fireworks has never been an issue; it is the use of recreational fireworks that have been cause for concern: “Recreational fireworks is a separate grade of fireworks used during cultural, religious and other special days of the year such as Diwali (festival of lights), New Year, Chinese New Year and other special occasions.
“It is this type of fireworks use that requires control from the city’s point of view. The issues that need control are use/abuse and misuse of fireworks , preservation of life and prevention of injury to animals, and noise control.”
Fireworks policy guidelines on eThekwini website
The Festival of Lights
About Diwali: The festival of Diwali, or “Deepavali”, is celebrated for five continuous days, where the third days is celebrated as the main Diwali festival or “Festival of lights”.
Colourful varieties of fireworks are always associated with this festival. On this auspicious day, people light up diyas and candles all around their house. They perform Laxmi Puja in the evening and seek divine blessings of Goddess of Wealth. Diwali is never complete without exchange of gifts and sweets, which are given to friends and loved ones. The festival is also celebrated by Jains.
More on Diwali from the website www.hinduism.co.za:
“The illuminations and fireworks, joy and festivities, are to signify the victory of divine forces over those of wickedness. On Deepavali day, triumphant Sri Ram returned to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana, the demon of Lanka. On Deepavali day, we celebrate the marriage of Goddess Lakshmi with Lord Vishnu.
“On this day also Lord Krishna killed the demon Narkasur.
“On Deepavali day, everyone forgets and forgives the wrongs done by others. There is an air of freedom, festivity and friendliness everywhere. This festival brings about unity. It instills charity in the hearts of the people.”
The Durban & Coast SPCA commented on the fireworks aspect of this year’s double celebration: “With Guy Fawkes and Diwali just around the corner please take steps to protect your pets from the fear and suffering caused by fireworks.
“Although there are laws about where and when fireworks may be sold and discharged these laws are frequently broken. Last year street vendors sold fireworks at traffic lights and people fired rockets from the windows of flats on New Year’s eve – both of which are illegal.
“The SPCA movement in South Africa has again called for a complete ban on ‘big bang’ fireworks which annually cause hundreds of terrified dogs and cats to become injured lost or killed as they try to escape the noise.”
The SPCA noted that dogs can hear five times more acutely than humans; and cats about twice as acutely as dogs. In practical terms, dogs can hear a whisper from almost three times as far away as humans can. This explains their terror during this annual celebration.
Tips to help your pet beat the stress.
About Guy Fawkes (from Wikipedia): Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Bonfire Night, is an annual celebration held on the evening of November 5, marking the failed Gunpowder Plot of November 5, 1605.
Originally made a public holiday by the Thanksgiving Act of 1605, the occasion is celebrated primarily in Great Britain, although some former British colonies also mark the occasion.
The Gunpowder Plot was a failed conspiracy by a group of provincial English Catholics to assassinate the Protestant King James I of England and replace him with a Catholic head of state.
Festivities centre on the use of fireworks and the lighting of bonfires.
KZN police spokesman Jay Naicker told East Coast radio that people selling fireworks on the street would be arrested as no licences have been issued to street vendors to allow them to sell fireworks to the public. He said that licences needed to be displayed clearly on the window or door of shops that have been given the go-ahead to sell fireworks.
Soul of Africa
The Sunflower Fund
ridge.mobi
The Durbanite
Mount Edgecombe Driving Range
The Crest Online
As much as I love animals and can’t wait to live somewhere where I can have pets, it’s times like this when I am thankful i don’t have any!
Please be thoughtful for all animals, and people, at this time if you going to set off fireworks…..
The yearly firework horror bangfest is almost upon us once again. It
starts with Diwali followed by Guy Fawkes (which in Durban is supposed
to be banned. Ha Ha!) then the drunken revelry of New Year’s Eve.
The worsening abuse of firecrackers is now resulting in another terrible deadly menace manifesting itself on our highways and byways in the form of terrified panic stricken animals fleeing in terror from these toys from hell.
As it seems to get worse and worse every year, it is high time that Arrive Alive, those supposed champions of road safety, came on board and helped to put a stop to this ghastly situation, as I am sure that we soon will see a number of dreadful motor accidents resulting in people losing their lives.
This firework horror has got to be stopped and the bylaws of cities have to be enforced. No one has the right to inflict their cultural or religious practices on others not of the same persuasion. If we are going to stop further totally unnecessary carnage on ours roads lets get rid of this dreadful urban terrorism before it is too late.
Marcelle Mitchell
I remember the days I stabled my horse at Newmarket Stables right next door to the Absa rugby stadium. Every time, before they were allowed to set off fireworks at the end of a big game, they had to pay towards tranquilising every single horse in the stable yard. This became necessary as I’ve witnessed with my own eyes what an animal of that size can do to itself when in a complete panic. You could physically see the terror in the horses’ eyes; they would do absolutely anything to run and break out of stables, sometimes costing their lives.
While I wish everyone happy celebrations, please spare a thought for our precious animals.
Tracy.
I have never understood how the human race can derive enjoyment knowing they are causing carnage in the animal kingdom. It is time compassion superseded greed!
I think almost every argument “For” and “Against” FIREWORKS have been exhausted already… Fact of the matter is that no matter what mankind derives from such celebrations in the form of fireworks (loud bangs in particular), animals detest these.
So, in light of our so-called “superiority”, we should refrain from scaring the living daylights out of the ones that cannot speak up for themselves…
Spare a thought for them!!!
As Diwali is a festival of pretty lights, then by all means go ahead. Big bangs are not pretty lights,big bangs are thrown by people with one brain cell, who get enjoyment of BANG, how stupid and mindless can a person get.
These people have no control over their children or compassion for living creatures.
Ban all loud fireworks.
Ms Lynn Erasmus
I whole-heartedly agree with Lynn Erasmus. Fireworks should be seen and not heard! The loud, percussive explosives are totally deplorable and unnecessary.
I’ve got no issue with people who want to have a good time. Don’t like the big bangs. Bought my dogs some seditives.
Hi people!
I’m a tourist here in Durban at the North Beach, where about will the celebrations be tonight (5 Nov)?
Thanks
Why don’t you join in the Diwali, “Festival of Lights” celebration. Should be good fun. There’ll be plenty info on the web. On Sunday why not try the Goldfish concert. See our events section.
Thanks, I be sure to check out those events!
I am a firm believer of “respect of all cultures”. I am vehimently opposed to the ” Big Bang ” fireworks discharged on any occasion, as the ” Big Bang ” fireworks terrify all animals and particularly young children. I plead to the powers that be to “outlaw” fireworks and any and all devices that cause a ” bang”.
For the sake of our children and pets.