Sunday 29 January 2012

Of the Mandals and Loudspeakers


Had writen this post on 26th January. Spent three days thinking whether to post it or not. Not my usual kind of post. Its not about any movie or short story or anything that you might expect from me. It is rather my frustration which came out on that day. I have tried my best in not giving out my location or else I might get thrashed if any concerned person from my area reads this :P

Disclaimer: All the incidents and characters in this writing are real. Any resemblance to any place or to a person who is living or dead is purely intentional.

Five years back I moved on to my current place. Owning a bigger house then earlier seemed a very pleasurable experience but little did I know about what was the extra price we would have to pay along with the original sum we paid to the previous owner. The extra price that I am talking about is my comfort. My building happens to be in middle of an area surrounded by sort of groups or what they call mandals. Their members or karyakartas have extreme devotion to a specific God or Goddess.

Like a mandal who dominate the area behind my building are devoted a lot to Lord Ganesh, so they just need a reason to put up loud speakers during a day even remotely attached to their Lord. This in turn troubles the other residents.

A mandal on my left are staunch devotees of the Goddess Durga and Sai Baba. They have their speakers set up and played on full volumes everytime they sense about some auspicious day. Let me tell you there are about ten to fifteen such days in a month for them. This people become unbearable during the nine days of Navrathri.

Speaking of my right, just on the building across the road from mine boasts of a not so successful but a never giving up wannabe politicians or local social workers. Now this people have their own mandal and also one or two other organizations. And I think it's our locality's big fault or some grave sins in our previous birth that they are great devotees of Sai Baba. Now I don't have a problem with their devotion in fact I admire the way they are dedicated to their belief. But that belief turns out to be a nightmare for me and other people. Almost every Thursday devotional songs of Sai Baba are put on from morning to evening.

Now let’s come to my front side, unfortunately I have two front sides. On right front a few yards ahead there is office or shaka of a political party (I'm not naming it) and on the left front it's a big market.

Today as I am writing this post, it's 26th January, our Republic day, it also happens to be Ganesh Jayanti. Now I haven't got out to take a look down to see from where the sounds are coming. But tell me you I am hearing two songs simultaneously, a patriotic one Abb tumhare hawale waton sathiyo and on the other side I can hear that Lord Ganesh's aarti sung by Shankar Mahadevan. A few minutes ago when I started writing this it was Kolaveri Di. Now you must wonder what that song is doing on a National Day and religious occasion, well it doesn't matter. Last year Munni and Sheela were almost dancing everyday during Ganesh Utsav and Navrathri. Come on; if you respect your God then at least don't insult him by playing such songs.

All I got to say instead of doing all this stupid things and disturbing everyone why don't you just put that money to help the not so blessed children of your own God. Instead of making grand celebrations make it simple but at the same time put the money that you would save in their welfare.

Now as I have kept my woes, I end my post listening to Maurya song from Shahrukh Khan's Don and our National song Saare Jahan Se Aacha Hindustan Hamara.

22 comments:

  1. Hehe.. It happens everywhere..
    When i start my preparation for exam(the very next day)Loudspeaker will vibrate with devotional songs.. LOL
    Irritating and your post reminds me of a scene in ENDHIRAN :P good one bro !

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    1. Bro but in Enthiran, Aishwariya had a highly efficient robot(that too Rajnikant), so it was ok for her. people like us are helpless at such times. :P

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    2. you are 200% right,,, MR. VASI create a robot DOT .... :P

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  2. This is where we have come to. Tilak wouldn't have thought of all this non sense when he came up with the concept of Ganesh Pendals. I still don't understand how come Ganesh Chaturti now on Jan 26? It usually comes around sep/oct.

    No matter which religion, loud speakers must be banned across all worship places and in public places.

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    1. Yes, you are right. Tilak would have got sad, seeing today's version of his vision.
      Thanks for dropping by. Hope to see you often. :)

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    2. And it was Ganesh 'Jayanti' not 'Chaturti'. :)

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  3. we face d same situation ... i swear its so frustrating !!

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  4. Oh ! You hit the bulls eye!
    We had a huge procession near our home too.
    It get irritating esp when you are sleepy

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    1. Yea, sometimes rules aren't followed, they keep playing even after ten at night and that's what makes me mad.

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  5. You can't do anything about people who believe in public display. I don't know since when God gave us the right to disturb others. Anyways, you can't question people when they are doing something even remotely religious in India. I can imagine what you are going through...

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    1. You are right. That's the reason I didn't mention their names or actual address. After all this sufferings, the last thing I would want is to get thrashed by some people over a blog post. ;-)

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  6. specially when exams they start their campaign ...
    i enjoyed it when i had no exams but in exam time they disturb a lot
    http://drivingwithpen.blogspot.in/

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    1. Thanks for your visit. :)
      Maybe the time when you had no exams and you were enjoying, someone else had the exam and was getting disturbed.
      Think about it.

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  7. "All I got to say instead of doing all this stupid things and disturbing everyone why don't you just put that money to help the not so blessed children of your own God. Instead of making grand celebrations make it simple but at the same time put the money that you would save in their welfare."

    well said Vinay...

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  8. i endorse your views 100% y must loudspeakers always blare at fullllllllll volume? even the dead line of 10pm is not adhered to.... every night we have to call up the cops to do something about it...seems we are the only ones with sound hearing over here...nobody else complains

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    1. Thanks for the visit. :)
      Yes, its a sad thing. Nobody complains. :(

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  9. Why are there such dimwit assholes everywhere?..Even im in a people imposed frustrating situation now..I hate them all!

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    1. Can understand. I get into such situations 2-3 times a week. :P

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