The festival of lights is right around the corner, which means lots of festive foods, mithai and family time. However, it also brings with it a drastic drop in air quality as celebrations can include bursting of fireworks and other pyrotechnics. For many, this signifies respiratory issues that are exacerbated by the pollution.
A travel trend being noticed this year-round is that many people are planning on taking their celebrations out of city limits, to areas where the air is clear and refreshing. For Sahiba Bhojwani, a publicist from Surat, is swapping the city smog for the crisp air of Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand. “While Surat usually sparkles as one of India’s cleanest cities, during Diwali, it’s a bit like the pollution gods throw their own party! So, my family and I, along with the elders, are escaping to the wild; trading firecrackers for bird calls and jeeps for safari rides,” she says, adding, “We’re planning to slow down, feast on Kumaon’s culinary delights, and embrace the calm — because nothing beats a bonfire under the stars when the city’s too noisy to handle.
” She is not the first or last guest to inquire about their packages says, Ajay Sharma, General Manager, Taj Corbett Resort & Spa, Uttrakhand. “We have been welcoming guests from the Delhi NCR region, as we truly understand their need to escape the heavy smog and find peace in nature. With the river Kosi flowing nearby and surrounded by the wilderness, our guests can breat.
