It took me some time to figure out that those chaotic noise were rhythmic chants of devotional songs and drums. A group of devotional people chanting hymns in God's praise. No sorry, though I was still dreamy eyed and sleepy; I remember it was not one God they were singing the praise of. Innumerable Gods, He God and She God, they were fair enough not to let any God out of their chants; lest offend any one of the innumerable Gods we have.
They probably woke up the entire neighborhood. For a change it wasnt the howling of the dogs or the vroooooom of those silencer-less 2 wheelers doing a wheely . This episode is a very trivial one which just prompted me to write about this; certainly only a trigger point. I have witnessed more torture; this was such a sober one. Just beside my house where I previously resided was a temple; they had "Jagran" everyday for one reason or the other. A cacophony of devotional songs and chants blaring out on the loudspeakers. I wonder if the audience present there were really interested! Of course the peacefully sleeping mortals and those poor animals on the roads elsewhere were least interested either..Nay! not even the Gods.
Now if I want to celebrate or perform religious activities, why force others to indulge in this activity; willingly or unwillingly? Celebrating the spirit eh? What I find amusing are the jarring combination of devotional songs being played alternatively along songs as "Beedi jalaile" or the latest "Sheila ki jawani" and "Munni badnam hui" . This orchestra comes complete with an all night active music jockey; playing songs one after the other to please the Gods; much to the displeasure of the ghosts and spirits that take a leisurely walk at that time.
Why is this impudent callousness? Do they really need to use loudspeakers? Why is there no consideration for the sick? the old? the animals? the infants? the weak? the tired? and of course people of other faiths? This tastelessly clamorous activity starts when everyone else wants to go to sleep; and gets louder and louder as the night progresses. Rejoice, appease the Gods, but please have a bit of consideration for others. You certainly cant appease the Gods by displeasing your fellow beings.
Merry Christmas; wish Santa Claus sends his elves to bestow each one with gifts :)
Those are exactly my thoughts.
ReplyDeleteFew months back, I also wrote a similar post to this:
http://ofthoughtsnthings.blogspot.com/2010/08/in-name-of-god.html
people will never understand this ever! I have been woken up at 6 am so many times after working past midnight..there is no consideration for anybody..in the name of the religion, weddings and 10 other things, people just keep on increasing noise pollution n nuisance!
ReplyDeleteha I did a post on the same line few days back and trust me your post echoes the same sentiments and thoughts...
ReplyDeletewhy show off your beliefs in a way where others get disturbed..and I also feel that we're just woken up from our sleep..think about those who might be mighty ill and need some peace of mind,a student studying for exams,an infant whose mother is trying to make him sleep...etc...
people all across will never have idea what until the same happens to them,some day!
You have touched upon an old sore of mine. If you are ever feeling masochistic, I invite you to come to the Attukal Pongala festival in Trivandrum sometime in March -April. It is an exclusive women's affair. I won't say anymore, but the Attukal Pongala is the best example in the world for noise pollution.
ReplyDeleteThis menace, however, is not restricted to gods alone - political parties stand second in line.
If you look at it another way - Gods are running farther and farther away from this world; so the loudspeakers are justifiable!
The louder the external world is, the lesser you can hear yourself - thats probably the reason; who would dare to listen to oneself?
Nice post. By writing “Innumerable Gods, He God and She God”, I know you mean Hindus. I would have really appreciated had you also mentioned about the “call to prayer” by Muslims through a loudspeaker every day early morning and inconveniencing everyone.
ReplyDeletetotally agree with u on this boss...thanks ya...
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you too :)
ReplyDeleteNice one!I hope God reads this post,so that He knows at least you understand His situation :P
well written post
ReplyDeleteyes people do not understand even near or below the hospitals play the audio systems.
These are the things going around us everyday, which we neither can stop('coz they won't understand) nor run away from('coz this is where we live).
ReplyDeleteReminds me of a wedding in my neighborhood where they played and sang songs through loudspeakers all Night long, while I was struggling to cover all my chapters for the next day's exam. Torture is indeed the word, the kind of torture that will justify itself and go on forever.
I have ranted about this a lot with my friends or in comments section of many blogs! People will never ever get it.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!
I am amongst those who actually goes for morning walk at 5.45AM even during winter. Surprised?It is heavenly hour for a walk.
ReplyDeleteBut, I agree, no one has any business to disturb and become a nuisance to one's neighbours.
Religion is to be practised and not screamed about.
Ho things were worse than this during Ganesh Chaturti in Hyd.. they used to play bollywood numbers in the early mornings and Suprabhatam at noon... Gods must've really gone crazy then...
ReplyDeleteI join Balan in inviting to you for the anarchy of the Pongala. You will cease to believe that inventions can do good.
ReplyDeleteThe Gods have vanished long before or the ones who missed the bus may be deaf by now.
Man has lost the beauty and peace that quiet can give.
disturbance is so common around my place now days..it more severe during the exam times where one has to cope up with all the noise and head ache..can we do anything about it.How about contacting rajni to break those speakers up ? :P
ReplyDeleteBlaring speakers are very common here . As this is a small town they don't follow any rules.Now it's marghazhi we have early morning suprabathams and what not?Then for every function we have special doses of dappakoothu songs. We have to use parsley or cotton balls to seal our ears.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas and Happy New Year
It's sheer madness! We have experienced this madness for a year as our home was bang opposite a temple... it was irritating to the core! When will these guys understand that God is not deaf!!
ReplyDeleteI remember posting a comment here . ??
ReplyDeleteI was once in a flight taking off from 'Santa Ana' airport near Los Angeles. The captain of the plane announced something like this which I thought was hilarious!
ReplyDelete"Sorry folks, but we are going to see the wrath of the rich house wives living in the Orange County. For their sake and the bill they had passed, we have to take a steep ascent so that they can sleep and get fatter. Sorry for the inconvenience."
All the passengers burst into laughter!
I agree, sometime the noises are so unbearable.
ReplyDeleteMerry christmas and a very happy new year!!!
Enigma,
ReplyDeleteOh great minds think alike :) I will sure check the post.
Neha,
ReplyDeleteExactly, no hope.
Scribbler,
ReplyDeleteThanks. Yeah, why not be considerate. Even God might be happy then.
Bala,
ReplyDeleteOh I have not heard of this event until now. I agree with you. You put it the best way. People dont understand the power of silence.
SG,
ReplyDeleteWhy? Other religions as well have He Gods and She Gods. Yes, "call to prayer". Thats a regular routine and you get habitual. They do it for not more than 5 minutes. another thing that I would like to point out is the orderly routine thats followed there unlike we Hindus.
Ramesh,
ReplyDelete:-) Thanks
Anu,
ReplyDeleteMerry Xmas :)
Haha, yeah hope He reads it.
sm,
ReplyDeleteyes thats bad,
et,
ReplyDeleteTrue true. We cant run away, neither would they understand. Poor you for going through that ordeal during your exams.
Harini,
ReplyDeleteYes, they wont. Merry Xmas :)
Chowla sir,
ReplyDeleteThats very nice. I agree that 5.45 is not devil's time; but I am a lazy bum.
Exactly, every religion preaches silence and peace so why shout!
Meety,
ReplyDeleteOh! hahaha maybe to confuse Ganesha.
anil,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. And yeah thanks for invitation and the warning. I will stay as far as possible
Madhu,
ReplyDeleteHahaha yes yes I think I will call Rajni. :-P
chitra,
ReplyDeleteEven cotton balls dont help. Its sad. Merry Christmas and a very happy new year to you too.
Shilpa,
ReplyDeleteMadness it is. Oh thats terrible. God has gone deaf after being introduced to such high decibels of cacophony and noise.
chitra,
ReplyDeleteI was late in publishing the comments :) Your comment is very well here
Gautam,
ReplyDeleteHahahaha thats hilarious. You didnt take a picture of it?
Renu,
ReplyDeleteYes they are. Merry Christmas and happy new year to you too :)
Don't you sometimes dream about misty mornings with suprabhatam (probably being played on the street), granny bringing hot coffee in steel tumblers? And you hate yourself for your habit of brushing teeth before having anything. :-|
ReplyDeleteI cannot agree more with your opinion about the annoying music playing in the heart of residential areas. At the same time I also remember how I once danced on the streets. Those memorable dappankuthu days... Dan da naka, danaka naka, dika dika dish!
Sometimes, I would crib about the loud music. Some other times, I would hang out by the flickering tube lights on a random night (preferably a pleasant full moon night) with the locals and Poojaris on a dingy Pazhavanthangal street, discussing how we were being such a nuisance to the public and of course, laugh about it, Poojaris included. I knew that I had no business being with that bunch. The aunties of my colony who hurriedly pass by me shaking their heads would not approve of it. Ah, the pleasures of being the spoilt kid of the block.
The dark street next to the Pazhavanthangal railway station:
The street where horrific rapes and murders are said to have taken place. You hear a train screaming; ever so suddenly that it sends a shiver through your body. You are then reminded that the railway tracks are just few feet away. The same railway tracks where one too many committed suicides. The gory details flash; metal meets flesh and bones not once, but many many times. Chuk chuk chuk chuk... Chuk chuk chuk chuk...
You hear another train. The sound is deafening. I think about Doppler's effect during these times. But, I know most people of that area feel chillness to the bone when they hear a sudden scream of a speeding train. Oh my! Jeepers Creepers! There is dimly lit graveyard on the same street; just by the railway station, and I happen to pass by that place at least a couple of times every day; mostly after dark. Sometimes the moonlight pleasant and some other times it is ominous. Through the obscurity of the Chennai dust, you sometimes see figures walking amongst the dead. You can think like me and say to yourself, "Oh, poor guys, they don't have a place to stay. Should I offer them some food? Or give them two rupees for tea?", or you can have your heart in your mouth and run for your life (entirely optional). Every time I pass by the grave yard I think of Michael Jackson's Thriller and the Mechanical Laughter that concludes the song. Everyone who wants to go North of Pazhavanthangal railway station has no option but to pass by the graveyard and take 350-370 long strides till they feel relatively safe from the ghosts that might be prying or worse, escape from the rapists and murderers who might be hiding in some corner of the dark streets; behind a bush, with drooling lips and a sharp knife. Oh brother! On the days when bodies are burnt, you see a shabby guy in a langoti beating down the contracting corpse. And there is smoke in the air - filled with ashes. You know God damn well you are inhaling bits of the corpse. And what can you do about it? (Sinister guffaw!)
ReplyDeleteAlakh Niranjan... Alakh Niranjan, jan man ranjan, jan man ranjan Narayan.... Alakh Niranjan...
Conclusion? I like the days where the non-linear amplifiers blast devotional songs on that street. Those are the few days in a year, when women walk from the Railway station to their homes with normal heart rate.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOh my God! Gautam.....
ReplyDeletesomething at work thats grilling you? :)
those misty mornings when you have hot steaming coffee at your bedside is a moment you would long for. I dont have that luxury anymore.
Gautam, what i am talking here is the incessant chatter and blabber in the name of religion and bhakti. Its nice for a while, but it gets on to the nerves. Suprabhatam is melodious if you hear it at a low volume, just imagine if it blares right next to your ear!!
the railway station story seems scary to me. Doppler effect? Andha time la? Hmm....MJ's thriller? Your story sends shiver down my spine. But one good thing about those loudspeakers as you mentioned; women can walk safely in those dark alleys :)