Loudspeakers Vs. Religious Sentiments.
Following is the conversation that sparked this debate.
“How about organizing a “Jagaran?”” My mother once asked me.
“That’s a nice idea, mom. So you mean, hiring a professional team, decorating our home and the street with pretty lights, and playing songs on loudspeakers, right?”
“Yes, of course. Let’s discuss the details in a day or two, okay?”
“Sure. But there’s a rule of “no loudspeakers post 10 pm”, so we need to take care of that too.”
“No loudspeakers after 10 pm? I don’t understand.”
“Well, that means that the performers could sing on the loudspeakers till 10 pm only. After that, I shall disconnect the music system.”
“But what’s the point of a Jagaran without the loudspeakers?” She protested.
“And what does a Jagaran has to do with the loudspeakers, mom?”
And that was it!
It was a long time back, and she has never discussed Jagarans ever since (at least not with me).
You see, I had no issue with the Jagaran and the songs. My only objection was about the use of loudspeakers post 10 pm.
Let me ask you a question?
What do you think a Jagaran is about?
Praising the Goddess or playing the loudspeakers?
Worshipping gods is one thing and blasting other people’s ears in the name of “freedom of expression” and “Bhakti” is completely another.
What Does “Religiousity or Religious Sentiments” Has to Do With Loudspeakers?
I have noticed that most people in India consider that…
“Being religious” and “Playing loudspeakers” is the same thing.
But is it?
Not exactly. In fact, they’re quite the opposite.
Honoring “religious sentiments” is about being one with your favorite god or goddess. In other words, it’s an intimate relationship between you and the Devi or a Devata and it is best kept that way.
Let me ask you this.
Would you make your personal relations with your beloved public by giving the minutest details on a loudspeaker? No, right?
Then why torture people with deafening noise in the name of religious sentiments?
Think about it.
Loudspeakers, and Religious Sentiments, and Police
With that being out of the way, let’s talk about the attitude of the police in handling such cases.
The argument police gives is that they cannot do anything about the menace of loudspeakers unless people complain. And it sounds reasonable. How would the police know somebody is playing LOUDSPEAKERS unless they received a complaint?
Fair enough.
But how do they get to know the exact location when a house owner tries to add even a brick to his bathroom? And needless to say, the law-keepers promptly reach the “scene of the crime” and ask to come to a “mutual understanding.”
So, the question here is: Do the police use satellite surveillance to track “illegal” constructions? If yes, why that “satellite” is incapable of tracking loudspeakers?
(Mind you, they’re called LOUDspeakers for a reason.)
By the way, I once had a word with a lady from a posh neighborhood regarding the same issue. She revealed that no one ever complains to police about loudspeakers. Police officers come on their own and ask the organizers of Jagaran or any function whatsoever to discontinue the loudspeakers post-10 pm.
What does it mean?
Does it mean that the Police do take action with or without somebody complaining? And does it depend on where you live and if you have “contacts?”
God knows.
And mind you, it’s not some remote area of Uttar Pradesh or Chhattisgarh we’re talking about. It’s the situation in the NCT of Delhi, in close vicinity of the capital of India, New Delhi.
Now, compare it to foreign countries, and there’s no match.
Isn’t it Time We Started Respecting Rules?
One of my friends once visited Denmark to attend a conference.
By the time the wheels touched down and she reached the host’s home, it was 5:30 am already.
Since the conference’s starting time was around 10:30 am, the host requested her to get some rest.
“Well, it’s 5:30 am already. The neighborhood is going to wake up anytime, and there shall be noise and sounds all around. I don’t think there’s much point in trying to get rest now. What do you say?” She was curious.
“My dear, It’s not India. Nothing of that sort happens here. In fact, no noise is allowed before 8:30.” the host assured her. And so, she tried to get some sleep.
And guess what? She woke up around 8:40 due to the sound of a mixer-grinder from a neighboring house. Before that, the neighborhood was peaceful like anything. That’s how people respect the rules.
Shame on us! Seriously.
And here, you cannot ask anybody to even “lower the volume,” let alone stop the loudspeakers.
Do you know why? Because that hurts their “religious sentiments.”
Remember the Sonu Nigam loudspeaker incident? And the Karishma Bhosale illegal loudspeakers one?
Of course, people cannot respect religious sentiments without BLASTING others’ ears.
The louder the loudspeakers, the more religious the people.
Is that it?
And it’s not about just one or two residential areas; it’s the story of many localities in Delhi. All people care about is “religious sentiments.” And all politicians care about is votes (by shamelessly supporting such people).
I mean, who cares for the common man?
(The last sentence was not right. It should be—“Who cares for the Tax Payer?”)
Concern for People Or Loudspeakers—What Would You Choose?
Are you planning to organize a “Jagaran” when your first child turns one?
Or maybe when your father gets retired after 35 years of service?
You are?
Can I ask you a simple question?
If someone would object to loudspeakers post-10 pm, would that hurt your religious sentiments?
Or would you understand that:
He’s just trying to get some sleep because he needs to be in the office at 9:15 am sharp the next morning.