The Invisible Threat Lurking Indoors Air During Diwali

Every year, as Diwali lights sparkle across Delhi and other major cities like Gurugram, Noida, and Lucknow, we celebrate with fireworks, diyas, and sweets. The joy is infectious, but there’s an invisible visitor that no one talks about - the toxic smoke that fills the air and our homes.

Diwali celebration in Thane - Article from Mid Day Newspaper

Even if you stay indoors thinking you’re safe, the PM2.5 and PM10 particles from firecrackers and stubble burning infiltrate your living spaces. According to SAFAR-India, Delhi’s air quality often reaches “Severe” to “Hazardous” levels post-Diwali, sometimes crossing AQI 450–800 (CPCB AQI Data).

And it’s not just a number - this air can trigger coughing, wheezing, eye irritation, fatigue, and long-term respiratory damage. Children, elderly, and those with asthma or heart issues are most vulnerable, but even healthy adults feel the effects.

What Are We Really Breathing?

Fireworks release a cocktail of pollutants:

• Particulate Matter (PM2.5 & PM10): Tiny particles that penetrate deep into lungs and bloodstream.

• Sulfur & Nitrogen Oxides (SOx, NOx): Aggravate asthma and bronchitis.

• Heavy metals like barium, lead, cadmium: Can affect heart, lungs, and brain function.

• Carbon Monoxide (CO): Reduces oxygen delivery in the body.

  
  

Add winter humidity and low wind speeds, and your city becomes a toxic haze. Indoor air isn’t much safer—smoke seeps through doors, windows, and ventilation systems, creating a mini smog inside homes. Studies from AIIMS and IIT Delhi show indoor PM2.5 levels post-Diwali can spike 300–500 µg/m³, far above the WHO safe limit of 15 µg/m³ (WHO Air Quality Guidelines).

Poisonous cocktail in crackers cause lasting damage to health - Article by Hindustan Times

Why “Staying Indoors” Isn’t Enough

Many of us assume that keeping windows shut or avoiding going out will protect us. Unfortunately, indoor pollution mirrors outdoor air during high-smoke periods. Even cooking, incense, or burning diyas adds to the problem.

This is why relying solely on avoidance isn’t enough. We need real indoor solutions that actively clean the air, especially in bedrooms, offices, and study spaces where we spend the most time.

A Smart Indoor Air Solution

One effective way to fight Diwali smoke indoors is through biofiltration-based air purifiers like uBreathe.

uBreathe - plant based air purifier

Here’s how it works:

• Plant-Based Biofiltration: uBreathe uses live plants with patented Breathing Roots Technology to naturally remove PM2.5, PM10, VOCs, and chemical pollutants from indoor air.

• Multi-Stage Filtration: It combines HEPA filters, UV disinfection, and carbon filtration with plant roots to ensure maximum removal of allergens, pathogens, and odors.

• Real-Time Monitoring: Integrated sensors let you track AQI, temperature, and humidity in real time, so you know the indoor air is safe even when the outdoors is hazardous.

It helps in -

• Reducing indoor PM levels significantly

• Neutralizing chemical pollutants from fireworks

• Quiet operation & stylish design, so it fits seamlessly in your home

• Low maintenance, requiring minimal HEPA replacement

  
  

During Diwali, setting up a uBreathe plant-based air purifier in your living room or bedroom can create a breathable zone, reducing exposure to smoke and chemical pollutants, while also increasing oxygen levels naturally.

Diwali should be about joy, lights, and togetherness—not coughing fits and respiratory stress.

While we can’t control the air outside entirely, we can control the air we breathe indoors. Using solutions like uBreathe air purifier ensures your family enjoys the festival safely, combining technology and nature plants for effective air purification.

By taking simple preventive measures and using plant-based purifiers, we can celebrate Diwali without sacrificing our health.