There are high levels of tolerance in this country and somehow everything gets accommodated
People adapt and adjust to the constantly shifting landscape and the new additions in their immediate environment
In a train compartment already packed to capacity, new entrants aren’t greeted with groans
Instead, the incumbents simply make space for the newcomers by shifting and pressing in just a little bit more
Nowhere is this accommodative tendency more visible than in the realm of religion
Most Indian towns have temples, mosques, gurudwaras and churches in close proximity to one another and people of all religions go about their business of faith relatively unhindered
This in a way makes India special
However, when this openness of faith is combined with the tendency to disregard the personal space of others, it can have some side-effects as well
Unfortunately, the pursuit of faith is anything but private in India
In fact, it can be a rather noisy affair
Of all the technological innovations over the years, Indians have embraced the loudspeaker with greatest vigour and deploy it to great effect, especially to proclaim their religious affiliation
The sounds of prayer, originating from an assortment of houses of worship, reverberate all around the Indian landscape early in the morning
Unfortunately, not all of those sounds are melodious or soothing and a lot of it can be outright noise at very high decibels
Just like other aspects of India’s secular democracy, the entire spectrum of religions, sects, and sub-sects present in the country is represented in these loud and intrusive proclamations of faith
So while a peaceful night’s sleep might be disrupted by the sounds of a “jagraata” (a Hindu ritual that includes a vigil, songs and dance that lasts all night) in the neighbourhood, the early morning Azaan will jolt you out of the sweet stupor of the early morning, truly secularism at its best! Despite critics’ accusations of intolerance and majoritarianism, Muslims in India make their presence felt in every way
Broadcasts of prayer are not restricted to the Hindu majority, and mosques compete with great vigour to make themselves heard
It’s a daily affair, and not restricted to festivals or special occasions
The reality of most Indian cities with a sizeable Muslim population is that all the local mosques use loudspeakers, not just for the Azaan but also for their sermons, five times a day
These loudspeakers are usually pretty powerful and their output is virtually impossible to ignore
This problem becomes particularly acute in large and crowded cities like Mumbai or Kolkata where these sounds pierce through the densely packed homes
It is natural for people to feel resentful towards this intrusion into their daily lives
There are many faith-inspired folk as opposed to non-religious folk who are offended by the loud factor
Even in Pakistan, there are thousands of cases lodged against clerics and mosque imams for the volume of the loudspeakers, and more under the National Action Plan (NAP)
Sonu Nigam’s recent outburst on Twitter is a reflection of the growing frustration and perhaps now is a good time to revisit this aspect of life in India
https://twitter
com/sonunigam/status/853758848133242880? https://twitter
com/DIL__war/status/853776446472499204? https://twitter
com/macchandna/status/853765697968762881? https://twitter
com/PoojaB1972/status/854165923623690240? It’s unfortunate that Nigam is facing so much criticism for stating what so many people feel
It is extremely unpleasant to be jolted awake when all you want after a hard day’s work is to sleep peacefully for just a little bit longer
It’s ironic that he would not have to deal with this in a Muslim country like the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
The mosques in Dubai also have calls to prayer, but they make sure to not overwhelm their surroundings
This is purely a manifestation of discipline and consideration, both of which India sorely lacks
In the face of all the criticism, Nigam has gone ahead and clarified that his position is not against the religion or prayers, but rather the usage of loudspeakers
He also referred to ‘Arti’, or Hindu prayers, on loudspeakers to balance out the perceived prejudice
In a surprising move, he went one step ahead and shaved his hair in response to a fatwa issued by a cleric in Bengal and asked that the one million bounty be paid to his (Muslim) barber
This upping of the ante is a clear indication that he intends to stick to his stance, comfortable in the knowledge that he enjoys a good amount of public support in this matter
One thing is for sure, Nigam has taken the centre stage once more, this time again for acoustic reasons
There are way too many liberties that are granted in the name of religion
Religious processions can block traffic for hours
The presence of temples or mosques can hold up the construction of roads
One of the enduring memories of my own childhood is the creeping panic of being stuck in a Muharram procession on the way to catch a flight from the Kolkata airport
We nearly missed our flight because a public thoroughfare was blocked for one group’s faith
A little less accommodation is what India needs now
Religion is a private affair and it should not spill over into the public domain
It may still be acceptable if it happens once in a while, but the mark of a civilised society is the care to not infringe on others’ rights while pursuing our own
India needs to take this a little more seriously
Places of worship are meant to offer refuge from the strife of daily life and not add to it
The devout may derive pleasure from these sounds, but they may not be everyone’s cup of tea
If doing away with loudspeakers entirely is difficult, it may be wise to impose caps on their volume
After all, faith lives on in one’s heart and does not need to be proclaimed at top volume for everyone to hear and see
It’s time to take the next step in evolution
Date: | 22-Apr-2017 | Reference: | View Original Link |
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