Rajkot: When Supreme Court in October gave permission for bursting ‘green crackers’ in Delhi-NCR region this Diwali because of their quality of generating low emission and less noise, many people wondered what they were. Had they known about Ingoria, a fruit that only grows in the forest area of Amreli district, their curiosity about ‘green crackers’ would have been largely satisfied. People of Savarkundla town of Amreli district make ecofriendly crackers out of Ingoria. Natives of Savarkundla wherever they are settled come to their hometown for Diwali and burst ecofriendly crackers made out of Ingoria. Interestingly, there are no firecracker shops in this area.Satyam Dhakkan, a local resident, said, “We have been bursting crackers made of Ingoria fruit ever since this area was a part of the princely state of Bhavnagar. We used to play a game with firecrackers made of Ingoria fruit during Navratri and Diwali night.”Ingoria fruit is plucked by people around Navatri and put in sunlight to dry for 15 days. A hole is made in the fruit and brimstone, saltpeter and iron powder filled in it. The hole is closed with wax which ignites with a lighted matchstick. Ingoria firecracker does not explode but only generates huge flames.Youths of Savar and Kundla villages, which are separated by Navli river, play with Ingoria firecrackers during Diwali. The river has got dried up now and hence the youths play with Ingoria firecrackers at Manibhai Chowk these days.Nilesh Mehta, a resident of Savarkundla, said, “We have been hurling Ingoria ‘bombs’ at each other for the past so many years. But neither has anyone ever got injured by them nor they caused a fire anywhere.”Sadir Jiruka, a Muslim resident of Savarkundla, said “I used to play this game every year with my friends. Here Hindus and Muslims celebrate all festivals together.”

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