Fancy lights: Check

Crackers: Check

Sweets: Check

Rangoli: Check

Weather Watch

Except haze in the morning, the weather office has predicted a bright and sunny Diwali. The evening is likely to be soothing with the mercury level expected to be around 26 degrees Celsius at 6pm and 21 degrees Celsius at 10pm. 
“There is no weather system in the region drawing in moisture. So skies will be mainly clear and there is no chance of rainfall on Diwali,” said Ashish Sen, director at Patna meteorological centre.

NOISE NORMS

Decibel-daring Patna, it’s time to desist from a noisy Diwali. The Bihar State Pollution Control Board will be “all ears” on Wednesday. Apart from the five regular real time ambient noise monitoring stations, portable readers would also be used at several locations to monitor the decibel devil.

Firecrackers that emit sound louder than 90 decibels, measured 5m from the point of bursting, are banned. All sound crackers are barred after 10pm. No crackers are allowed in silence zones such as areas around hospitals.

Loudspeakers can be played from 6am to 10pm but the noise level must not exceed 65 decibels. After 10pm, microphones can be used only for emergency announcements.

DIAL FOR HELP

• Fire services control room: 0612-2222223/ 101

• Police control room: 0612-2201975, 0612-2201976, 0612-2201977, 0612-2201978

• PMCH control room: 0612- 2300080

• Nalanda Medical College and Hospital: 0612-263115

• Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences: 0612-3298660

• Patna SSP: 94318-22967

• SP-traffic: 94318-22970

TAKE CARE

• Light up crackers from a distance

• Use incense sticks and sparkle to light them up

• Wear cotton clothes and footwear while bursting crackers

• Use ghee or mustard oil in diyas

• Keep a bucket of water handy while bursting crackers

AVOID

• Leaning on crackers

• Lighting crackers with matchsticks

• Dressing up in swirls and frills

QUICK FIRST-AID

• Keep cotton wool, hand wraps, antiseptic cream and a cold cream

• If someone suffers burn injury, pour cold water but avoid applying ice

• In absence of medication, apply toothpaste

PARTY PLAN

Your house is the best venue. A lot of candles are a must. Taash (cards) party is quite common in Patna on Diwali night. Prepare your balcony with some fancy lights or bundle up the lights into a ball and leave them in a corner of the sofa to light up the room.

If cards are not your game, play snakes and ladders with a twist. Every time you hit a snake on the board, burst a cracker! House parties are incomplete without desi music — DJ Waale Babu Mera Gana Baja Do and Raita Fail Gaya (Shaandaar) are musts on your playlist!

SWEET SURPRISE

Diwali and diet aren’t the best of friends. So, make friends with one and make up with the other later. Go traditional with chandrakala, kaju barfi, badaam barfi, laddoo and gulab jamun or gift chocolates or sandesh with a twist. At Sweet Home, a renowned sweets and confectionary shop on Boring Road crossing, kaju barfi was being sold at Rs 680 per kg, motichoor laddoo at Rs 400 per kg, pista barfi at Rs 2,000 per kg and sonpapdi at Rs 400 per kg on Tuesday.

STYLE STATEMENT

For her

Bright-coloured saris or even Anarkali suits with a rich overlay of embroidery would grab eyeballs. Even printed garments with petal shades are in

For him

Designer kurta-pyjamas are all-time favourite for this festival. Add some zing by adding a Nawab jacket with a tinge of embroidery to set your style statement. Pay special attention to your footwear and try to go for those, which match your dress. Jodhpuri trousers, too, look cool.

“For me, a waist-coat made in brocade fabric is something which makes you standout,” said fashion designer Suyash Raj, co-founder of Atelierwaon.com.

TIPPLE TALE

Liquor will simply flow. There are no curbs on bars, restaurants and booze shops on Wednesday. But drink and drive? No, no.

Happy Diwali...