Every year, a week or two after Diwali, my clinic fills up with the same complaints. A cough that refuses to leave. A throat that feels like sandpaper. A child who cannot hear properly after a night with the crackers. Most people tell me, "Doctor, it is just the smoke, it will go." Sometimes it does. Sometimes it does not, and that is exactly when it needs a proper look. fig 1. What I Tell My Patients Every Year What the smoke really does Cracker smoke, and the haze that hangs in the air long after, carries tiny particles and irritating gases. Your nose and throat are the first filter, so they take the hit. When the lining gets irritated again and again, it swells and makes extra mucus. That is why people end up with a blocked nose, scratchy throat, post-nasal drip and a dry cough, all together. If you already have allergies, sinus trouble or asthma, you will feel it sooner and harder. The ear problem nobody talks about A very loud cracker ...
Peace can feel like a large national dream, but it often begins with one small choice: a calmer reply, a fairer decision, a helping hand, a refusal to spread anger. Gandhi Jayanti gives India that gentle reminder every year. It is not only a day to remember Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation. It is also a day to ask what truth and non-violence can look like in ordinary life, at home, on the road, in schools, in workplaces, and in public spaces. Let us take one step today towards a more peaceful and kinder India. Happy Gandhi Jayanti to you and your family. Peace begins in the places where daily life unfolds. Gandhi Jayanti is a reminder, not just a ritual On 2 October, India pauses to remember Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, whose life helped shape the freedom movement through the force of truth, non-violence, self-discipline, and moral courage. The date appears on calendars, school boards, public messages, and community events. Many people attend prayer meetings, visit memorials, re...