All societies look forward to celebrations and gaiety on festivals. "In addition to special eating and drinking programmes, people usually organize ritualistic activities like bursting fire crackers or lighting up lamps to bring cheer and dispel the clouds of despair. On a visit to China recently I saw how sky lanterns were used to lighten up the dark skies. Every one enjoyed the spectacle and made a wish. The Chinese believe that the sky lanterns will take away all their worries and problems with them. When I returned I began working on this project and here I am with my own patterns and designs, all affordable and compatible with our conditions," Shruti told Agratoday.in.

Shruti is a graduate in business management and belongs to a business family, but her passion has been to do something different and creative in her spare time. These days she is busy promoting her business online and the response has been fairly good, she says. "The work satisfies my creative urges and is financially rewarding." She supplies the sky lanterns all over the country after outsourcing from abroad. Her orders come online. The event organizers and wedding planners are in her customer list which goes for these sky lanterns. Especially, during the festival season, it is a huge hit as it is a safe way to celebrate pollution-free Diwali. "Undoubtedly, the sky lanterns look superb and provide a breath-taking view, and also they are a fantastic alternative to fireworks. These lit-lanterns drift gently into the night sky and fly for many miles, before they burn out and float softly before descending on earth."

Her future plan is now to introduce aroma diffusers which will be made available to customers online. She owes her success to her supportive family, Shruti adds.

Talking of celebrations on Diwali Shruti Mittal says "its undoubtedly a major festival in India and an occasion to bring light to a dark and murky world. Diwali is associated with lights, sweets, and liveliness; especially lights. As, it is celebrated on the new-moon (Amavasya) night, lights have a significant role to play in this festival. This is why, when we hear the name Diwali, the first impression that flashes through our minds is of sprinkling various sorts of bright colored lights in the night sky. Although the tradition of lighting on Diwali is not very old, still they have succeeded in becoming such a vital part of this festival that we can’t even imagine a wonderful Diwali without them."

Shruti feels Diwali in Agra is different and has always been celebrated on a grand scale right from the Mughal days when emperors with their courtiers went all out to join the festivities. "Temples and markets are decorated and lighted a few days before Diwali, as a sign of paying homage to and welcoming this great Hindu festival. Besides the contemporary led-lights, candles, fireworks, and conventional earthen-lamps (diyas) now people also use sky lanterns for embellishing their homes. Prayers are offered to goddess Laxmi and lord Ganesha on Diwali night."

Diwali is really a fabulous festival and skylanterns can play a significant role in increasing its charm among all age-groups. Whether they are kids, youngsters, or elderly people, everybody can enjoy the sky lanterns. As, there are some environmental issues associated with the use of firecrackers or fireworks on the Diwali festival, a better way to enjoy the lighted sky on Diwali is by flying Skylanterns, she adds.

Explaining her sky lanterns, Shruti said "these are like mini hot air balloons. They are made of non-flammable, biodegradable material. A wick is suspended from the frame (cross hairs) which is lit enabling the flying lantern to fill with hot air and float off into the sky. In calm conditions you can watch your flying lanterns lift to over 1200 feet, before they become a distant speck of light on the horizon.

They are known as Kongming lanterns, sky candles, flying lanterns, and UFO balloons. In Asia they are used in just about every type of celebration as a way of sending away bad karma. Sometimes people use lanterns as an act of release and a symbol of a fresh start. Most people will write a private message on the lanterns then release them and watch as they float away into the sky.

Says Shruti "in today's world when we are so concern about our environment and when people burn fire crackers, people are curious and lots of fun but sometimes forget about the conditions they leave behind once all the fun is over: the debris from the expended firecrackers and their ecological impact. When they return to the ground, animals can try to eat them and get seriously injured from them. Much of the concern centers on livestock which can actually die from ingesting the remains of fire crackers. Other concerns surround the environmental impact of the waste left on the ground, introduces dangerous substances into the environment. To help alleviate the impact of crackers to the environment and to animals, now there is a new way to it i.e. sky lanterns that are earth friendly."

To enjoy the fun people are advised to light the sky lanterns collectively and join the cheer lustily as it lifts up, carrying your bundle of worries and blues, leaving you happy and thrilled.