Tuning out the noise

RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE

The signature tune is an identity to any institution. When we were young, the whole household used to get up the signature tune of All India Radio. When we started going to high school, we used to compete with our classmates on the identification of the signature tunes of BBC, Radio Australia, and Voice of America.

Those are the days when towns used to have Radio Clubs. When in college, we learnt about the controversy on the name of the AIR signature tune's creator. Whether it was Thakur Balwant Singh or was it Walter Kaufmann, the Czech composer was the debate then.

There were other pleasant signature tunes then. The chirping of birds at the dawn, and noisy sounds of birds during the dusk, the sound by the conch of Shaivite sanyasi approaching the house for alms, the bells dangling from the neck of the cattle giving sound as they return from grazing and many more. Those sounds are pleasant. Never once did we treat them as unwanted. Never did we close our ears to shut them out.

Technology has taken away many thrills of that time including the pleasant sounds of different kinds. Now all that we hear is the noise of high decibel. Once it was only public transport and all the vehicles had a similar honking sound. Now, there are many kinds of personal vehicles, and each owner tries to be distinct and chooses various models from various companies, each offering a different sound for honking.

Most youths want to have their own ‘signature sound’ by manipulating and upgrading their exhaust pipes, by spending large amounts of money. The ‘silencer’ is a euphemism now as they are redesigned to give a desired ‘signature sound’ of their own two-wheeler.

That is almost unbearable for all. The reverse gear of the cars is fitted with different signature tunes of noisy music. In apartment complexes, with odd-hour entry and exit of vehicles with various horrible signature tunes, sound pollution is becoming unbearable.

Karnataka High Court order seeking a report on the noise pollution from the state government made me share this saga of unbearable signature tunes with the hope that they will take care of nagging sounds from the vehicles.