Oh! This noise

 Divya Dutta

I went to pick up my cousins who were visiting us. The road was jam-packed for hours, it wouldn’t move. The agitated ones honked, blowing the horns impatiently. That noise… coming through the shut windows of the car, the continuous noise. I thanked god when I found an empty stretch. That sea of vehicles, that stream of unlimited people. I wonder sometimes how our country’s infrastructure manages this kind of population. It is a miracle!

I came to the coziness of my nest, my home .and heard a loud banging noise. It was the upper floor neighbour renovating his house. And the hammer and tongs, right on my head, literally. That noise!

In the evening, I thought I’ll go for some peace and quiet to the serenity of the beach closeby! What I met with was that procession with bands and drums at their loudest, hard on ears playing the beats. They were welcoming back some god and dancing away on that loud noise which had no rhythm to it. Yes, that noise!

In the evening, I went for a film awards event. The stars were dancing on the loud filmi numbers. People would yell when they would see an actor cross by. We, the actors were trying to talk in each others’ ears as nothing was audible in that noise, yes!

Finally, I gave my driver an off and decided to go for a peaceful drive on my own in the middle of the night. No people, no traffic, no processions! Just me, I drove a bit and returned. Yes that noise!

This time not outside, but from within, loud, louder, loudest. Hope, I hear it. This New Year, one resolution, peace within. And none of that noise!

(Dutta is a Bollywood actor)