The document discusses various Hindu festivals in India, including Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Holi, and Nag Panchami, highlighting their significance, rituals, and environmental impacts. The festivals are celebrated with enthusiasm but also contribute to issues like air and water pollution, and noise pollution due to fireworks and celebratory activities. The document concludes with suggestions for celebrating these festivals eco-friendly, such as avoiding firecrackers and using traditional, biodegradable materials.

1. COURSE:- B.B.A. LL.B(HONS)
ASSIGNMENT- CHE110
Submitted by:
Aman Kathuria (RL1902A34) Submitted to:
Riya Kumari (RL1902A33) Dr. Abhinav Joseph
Drishti Jamba (RL1902A32)

2. Festival: Ganesh Chaturthi
Ganesh Chaturthi also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi is one of the important
Hindu festivals celebrated throughout India with a great devotion. This day
is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Ganesh, the elephant-headed son of
Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Lord Ganesh is the symbol of wisdom,
prosperity and good fortune. Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated on Shukla
Chaturthi of the Hindu month of Bhadra (generally falls between August
and September). This festival is celebrated by Hindus with a great
enthusiasm.
People bring idols of Lord Ganesh to their homes and do worship. The
duration of this festival varies from 1 day to 11 days, depending on the
place and tradition. On the last day of the festival the idols are taken out in a colorful and musical procession and
immersed traditionally in water. As per Hindu mythology Lord Ganesh is considered as "Vigana Harta" (one who
removes obstacles) and "Buddhi Pradaayaka" (one who grants intelligence). This festival is very important for students,
they worship Lord Ganesh to illumine their minds.

3. IMPACTS OF GANESH CHATURTHI ON
ENVIRONMENT
Air Pollution during Ganapati Festival
During this festival, fireworks and crackers are used in abundance by the devotees for
expressing their happiness. This leads to Air pollution, as harmful gases and toxic substances
like Barium, Cadmium, Sodium, Mercury, Nitrate and Nitrite are released into atmosphere.
Also, respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) level goes high in this season as small
particles are released into the environment by these firecrackers.
Water Pollution during Ganapati Visarjan
In recent years, we have seen increased awareness about water pollution caused by visarjan i.e.
immersion of Ganesh Idols in lakes, rivers and Sea which are made out of Plaster of Paris (PoP)
i.e. calcium sulphate hemi -hydrate. It takes several months to totally dissolve Ganesh Idols
made up of PoP into water.
Also, colors used in decoration of idols contains harmful chemicals containing mercury, lead
which leaks into water as idol dissolves. It increases acid content, Total Dissolved solids (TDS)
and Heavy metals in water. It kills aquatic plants and marine life, damaging ecosystem under
water.

4. Continued
Noise Pollution during Ganesh Festival
Devotees celebrate the prestigious festival with all possible means of
loud music like listening to bhajjans, kirtans and songs using massive
speakers. During Anant Chaturdashi, which is the final day of the
auspicious Ganesh festival, we witness heavy traffic on the roads, which
leads to an increase in Air (particles from vehicles) and Noise (excessive
honking) pollution.
Solid Waste Generated during Ganapati Festival
Along with Idols several other accessories are used in worship of
Ganapati such as, flowers, fruits, coconuts, incents, camphor, cloth,
plastic, thermocol. Etc. It is collectively called as
Nirmalya.Every year government spends crores of rupees to clean and dig out tons of garbage from natural water
sources such as rivers, lakes etc.

5. FESTIVAL:- DIWALI
Diwali, the festival of lights is indeed the most awaited and the
most celebrated festivals of India. People in every nook and cranny
of the country welcome the festival with enthusiastic gestures. This
wonderful festival is the celebration of five days. On the third day
of the celebratory occasion, the key rituals of the Diwali festival
take place. Lighting of Diyas and candles all around the house,
worshipping the Laxmi Ganesha to summon health and wealth and
bursting crackers are the chief rituals of the festival.
In addition to that, the exchange of heartfelt gifts during Diwali
these days have become a mandatory part of the celebration.
Friends, families, and colleagues share with each other Diwali gifts
as a gesture of showing love and affection. Also, special and grand
feast with delicious food that mandatorily includes different
varieties of sweets is the special attraction of the occasion.

6. IMPACTS OF DIWALI ON
ENVIRONMENT
It leads to air pollution:
Due to large scale of bursting firecrackers during this festival it releases
harmful gases and toxic substances into the atmosphere, loud noises
from loudspeakers and firecrackers, dry waste causing health problems
for children, patients and senior citizens. They also cause Burns,
deafness, Nausea and mental impairment. Many people die in
explosions in factories which manufactures firecrackers.
From Darkness to Light or from light to Darkness
Diwali is called as festival of lights. It is very widely celebrated festival in India. Usually Diwali festival falls between
OctoberNovember of Gregorian calendar. It has been celebrated from ancient time as mentioned in Ramayana and
Mahabharata mythologies.

7. Continued
Effects of Fireworks in Diwali
It is celebrated by cleaning and decorating homes, visiting relatives
and exchanging gifts, Sweets etc. It is believed that Buying gold in
Diwali is a good sign. Many people do pooja in these days in their
homes. Roads and homes are lighted /decorated by oil lamps and
festive lights.
And most importantly fireworks are set off by children for
celebrations. The commonly used types of fireworks in celebrations
are Rockets, Roman Candles, Sparkles, and Wheels etc.
Dry Waste
With happiness it also brings Dry waste like papers, plastics,
firework covers. Massive amount of non-degradable dry waste
generated in Diwali celebration. It causes Soil pollution as less
space for dumping ground in major cities.

8. Festival: HOLI
Holi is considered as one of the most revered and celebrated festivals of
India and it is celebrated in almost every part of the country. It is also
sometimes called as the "festival of love" as on this day people get to unite
together forgetting all resentments and all types of bad feeling towards each
other.The great Indian festival lasts for a day and a night, which starts in the
evening of Purnima or the Full Moon Day in the month of Falgun. It is
celebrated with the name Holika Dahan or Choti Holi on first evening of the
festival and the following day is called Holi. In different parts of the country it
is known with different names.
The vibrancy of colors is something that brings in a lot of positivity in our
lives and Holi being the festival of colours is actually a day worth rejoicing.
Holi is a famous Hindu festival that is celebrated in every part of India with
utmost joy and enthusiasm. The ritual starts by lighting up the bonfire one
day before the day of Holi and this process symbolizes the triumph of good
over the bad.On the day of Holi people play with colours with their friends and families and in evening they show love and respect
to their close ones with Abeer.

9. IMPACTS OF HOLI ON
ENVIRONMENT
The festival of 'Holi' is proving to be an environmental risk due to the toxic colors
used during the celebrations. Unlimited and uncontrolled use of such dyes can
lead to grave consequences in terms of human health and ecological balance.
These colors are highly structured polymers and are very difficult to decompose
biologically. This study was taken up with an initiative to determine the extent of
effects that the 'Holi' colors have on water and soil, respectively. The bacteria
inhabiting these contaminated water and soil samples were isolated for
biochemical analyses. Their ability to degrade these dyes was determined after
optimization studies. Toxic trials were conducted on certain bacterial cultures
and Triticum vulgare to check their impact on the other living flora and fauna in
their surrounding environment.

10. Festival: Nag Panchami
The Nag Panchami or festival of snakes is celebrated on the fifth day of the
moonlit fortnight in the month of Shravan (July /August) according to the Hindu
calendar. In Hindu culture, snakes own an important place. Hindu mythologies are
filled with tales and stories about snakes, the most chief being the Sheshnag of
Lord Vishnu. It is quite understandable that India with such mythological
background celebrates Nag Panchami in honor of snakes every year. During the
festival people bathe the snakes with milk ensuring their families freedom from
danger of snakes. According to myth, ploughing a field is forbidden on this day.
There are numerous legends related with Nag Panchami. One legend has it that
a farmer accidentally killed some little serpents. Enraged, the mother of the
serpents took vengeance by biting and killing the farmer and his family. One
daughter was spared as she was praying to the Nagas. This act resulted in the
revival of the farmer and his family. Ever since, Nag Panchami is celebrated in
India every year. It is understood that in reward for worship the snakes will not at all harm any member of the family.
There is yet another legend which relates to the victory of Lord Krishna over the Kaliya snake. The same is remembered
and celebrated this day.

11. Celebration of Nag Panchami
In India, snakes are so valued that temples have also been built in their honor.
On Nag Panchami day, snakes or their pictures are honored and religious rituals
are performed to seek the good will of snakes. Villagers dance to music and
carry snakes in pots over their heads to the temple. After rituals, the temple
priest sprinkles haldi-kumkum i.e. turmeric and red powder and flowers on
their heads. Plenty of milk and honey in return to seek immunity from snake
bites. A priest is called to carry out the rituals and dakshina'' is given in gold or
silver or other forms.

12. Impacts of Nag Panchami
Hundreds of Snakes Die a Painful Death After
Nagpanchami.
Hundreds of snake die a slow painful death during the
festival of Nagpanchami when snake charmers capture them.
Since watching a snake is considered auspicious, snake
charmers make money out of it. But little do we know about
the painful conditions these snakes are kept in. Here is an
organization helping snakes break free from the misery.

13. Conclusion: How to celebrate festivals eco
friendly
• 1. Avoid bursting crackers
• Firecrackers leave the air_ hazy and the surroundings full of noise, and we wake up to the streets littered with waste the next
morning. Although, some may argue that Diwali without crackers is not fun, but for a cleaner future we may give them up or use eco-
friendly crackers.
• 2. Use traditional lighting
• Go for the good old oil diyas that are bio-degradable and cost effective. You can also use some innovative lighting alternatives by
using wheat dough, orange peels, and coconut shells as DIY diyas. This will reduce electricity consumption and wastage during the
festive days.
• 3. Give Thoughtful Gifts
• Instead of opting for the regular clocks and picture frames, gift your friends and family with eco-friendly items such plants, jute
products, khadi clothing, etc. Avoid shiny plastic wraps and stick to simple paper wraps to support the green cause even more.
• 4. Use recycled decor

14. • Recycled decor items are becoming increasingly popular these days. These decorative items not only make use of the things
which we throw away as waste but also inspire us to use things creatively even after expiry. By using such products for Diwali
decor you help in saving the energy that would be wasted in disposing them off.
• 5. Eco-friendly rangolis
• Rangolis were traditionally a way to feed the birds and little animals during the festive days. You can embark on a journey to the
past and use colourful food grains and natural colours for your Rangoli. A much more eco-friendly and satisfying way to celebrate
Diwali won't you say?
• 6. Give sugar a miss, eat healthy
• By opting for healthy foods and beverages, you not only make yourself fit and fine during the festival, but also contribute in
reducing the wastage from sweet shops and restaurants.
• 7. Avoid the use of plastics
• When organising a Diwali party, use earthenware and biodegradable utensils (pattals), instead of plastic disposables. They also
add a traditional twist to your party while reducing plastic wastes.