November noise 'naraka yaatane'!

Noise and music, both are poles apart. Yet, Orchestra Parties produce the former in the name of the latter and try to combine them! More the decibels, grander they think it is. They are not tuned to perform on melodious levels on such a stage. So, the hapless neighbourhood has to undergo ‘naraka yaatane’!

Just across the main road junction, the autorickshaw drivers group organizes the annual ‘celebration’ of Kannada Rajyotsava – great patriotism, you know! Some ‘chota pudaari’ inaugurates it one day before. Imitation songs are played back non-stop as if to warn the residents till the programme next evening.

For short duration parking of scooters the police ask people to remove. But for this Orchestra, right on the asphalted road, a really busy one, a platform and pandal get erected. Then the sound system, series-lights and a huge picture of Godess Chamumdeshwari decorated by blinker lights get installed to present a festive look. Of course, the road gets blocked and all traffic gets diverted by the police themselves, causing inconveniences. Power gets drawn from the electric pole.

Blame has to be showered on a few things. Improved technology - blaring speakers with thousands of watts of sound power in a smallish box; Taste of people that listen, yes, and applauding – for the beautifully created noise which was to the extent of making our window panes and door latches dance, esp. to the [fashionable] ‘dham dham dum’s. Even my newspaper which I was trying to read felt the vibrations!; And, the authorities for permitting such public nuisance, even though it is just for a day.

Last evening’s Orchestra was most torturous. The vicious vibes jabbed my ear drums hard, in spite of plugging with cotton and an innovative contraption to absorb those harsh waves, but they were penetrated too. Adrenaline already high, I foolishly tried to sleep, as it was half past ten, but the entire high-roof room was filled with an uncomfortable humming sound as all doors and windows were closed. Water in the glass created circles! At last, silence and peace were restored close to midnight. Then the dismantling of the stage created noise till 1 am!

I just cannot imagine how people stand in hundreds to enjoy such orchestra! To get entertainment, they say! Louder, harsher, gaudier, seems to be the taste of this ‘movers and shakers’ generation. As if to patch up the poor ability [surely there are exceptions] of the singers, the volume of the speakers and the number of instruments in play are both very high. Do not ask about melody.

I wonder why celebrations like these and even festivals come to the streets and create a grand public nuisance. They have to be held in auditoria or inside homes with least disturbance to others. If disturbing is their right and a form of bullying, what can the common man do? He knows the authorities and ‘they’ are hand in hand. So nobody complains to the police. Even if some do, “Swalpa adjust maadi, just for a few minutes” would be the reply. If it crosses this step, the ‘chota pudaari’ steps in to the scene to make the circle complete!

Well, this November‘s 4-hour-non-stop ‘naraka yaatane’ to the neighbourhood soon after deepavali’s dam dum was at its incorrigible best. Nuisance being appreciated in Mysore is just incredible. Where is our “Nirmala Mysooru”(???) heading? What about culture?