Noise, sound and god

Local trains in our city happen to strike almost every element known to humans. And that includes sound. Pleasant or unpleasant in nature, sound can’t possibly escape a moving locomotive. Regardless, the less we talk about the noise that’s created inside train compartments, the better. There are hawkers, peddlers, beggars, unruly citizens, drunkards creating a scene, babies bawling due to lack of ventilation, people playing annoying songs on their cellphones and the list goes on and on. Ironically, the thing that’s supposed to make a sound is muted—television—even when it’s not telecasting funny clips featuring Charlie Chaplin from the silent cinema era. On the contrary, one can’t overlook a group of men banging manjeeras and singing bhajans in the morning. They may not have the sweetest of voices around but they sing with utmost dedication. The folk music is unmistakable and unbearable at times, too. Not every co-commuter might agree with this method of expressing oneself but nobody complains either. Perhaps it’s better to avoid interrupting divine intervention; especially in a tolerant city like Mumbai where noise and music coexist. Like one of the crooning passenger asked, “Why do you think train accidents don’t take place in our city?”