From last 48 hours I have been HEARING music continuously.
Sounds crazy!!!
Is Music heard or listened!!! Obviously, it’s listened and enjoyed. But,
let me reiterate I am hearing it just like any other noise around.
That’s where I draw
my inference that we are at the nth level of sensitivity. We call ourselves as
sensitive to others. Being considerate, thoughtful, sympathetic is all what we
were taught since childhood. But, I question myself – Do we really realize its
significance and adapt one!!
What made me to write all this?
Since last two days, there is a Ganesha idol and its
festival being arranged adjacent to my place. Since its beginning until now,
the music is on starting from 6am to 10pm. CONTINUOUSLY!!!! I don’t know how
many decibels is the sound, but it is heard all through the area. It wakes me
up in the morning and never lets me concentrate on anything entire day.
Just give a thought for a minute – How many old people are
around who need rest and silence! Children have their mid-term exams at this
time of the year and they are required to study.
Celebrating festival isn’t pompous. No god seeks flaunting
music all the time. It makes me think that, if at all Ganesha is required to
listen to this entire day, how he would feel??? Or is it for people to listen
to bhajans all the time as a feel good factor. The reality is we can’t
concentrate entire day and be in the same mode. This is the time where MUSIC
turns to NOISE. All that they play becomes an attention seeker and nothing
more. Think about it!!
To add to this – the entire road is lit with colorful lights
and I saw that the power line was drawn from a local electrical pole. Who
should be held responsible for this?
This is not yet it! To have this grand swindle in the name
of festival and celebration, local shopkeepers are forced to pay money for this
whole spectacle. And we PRAY GOD to make us good and the way we celebrate the
entire event is by creating problems to all around, by illegal practices. We
aren’t even sensitive in hospital zones as well. It’s the same set of scenes
that reappears there.
This is just not it!!
The same history repeats for any local hero’s birthday, any
temple anniversary, Diwali festive time and its
crackers and so on. The crackers are lit until midnight. Even pets fear to get out
of their abode during these times because of the noise.
Why aren’t we sensitive that we all co-exist and the
practices we adapt does create trouble & nuisance to others. Is it not a
simple common sense! Cant any celebration happen without noise.!!!
Why do we need an overstated showy things attached to celebration!
Cant celebration be confined to specific time when in public. Can’t there be a
law on respecting people, and their privacy.
When I contemplate on these lines – series of absurd
behavior we display flashes my mind. Our manners in bus-stops when bus arrives,
when in traffic congestion, on roads while driving – In how many occasions we
are so insensitive to others. Unconcerned and indifferent while using public
property. Spitting, littering, breaking rules are all ‘cool factors’ for us.
Else, an intelligent ignorance cog saying ‘A single hand can’t move a mountain’
and add to the same hitch leading to having no difference from others and
you.
When do we learn being sensitive to the things around and
also others. The entire elementary education revolves around morality, ethics
and value education and keeps teaching that ‘Be considerate’ to others. Cruel
reality is that- what we preach and teach is not what we practice.
What does it take to be considerate!
What does it take to
be more refined!
What does it take to
be matured and adoptable!
Probably the day we can crack this secret, is the day
mankind takes an indomitable immense leap.
Author : Pratima Jagadeesh
She is a HR Professional and works in a MNC at Bangalore.
Her topics of interest are psychology and metaphysics. She is also involved
with Counselling and works for few NGO's.
