Tonight, as I walked home the back way, at the half-way point, I was very aware of music blaring from the trees. Well, Indians think of it as music - not me. But I felt smug in the thought that the temple that deafened me previously would next be torturing eardrums when I'm back in the UK in April. Of course I'd forgotten that there's more than one temple capable of slinging PA loudspeakers up in the coconut trees. Apparently I pass it every day but it's so small I hadn't noticed it and, although I saw the Malayalam banners go up a couple of days ago, I hadn't realised what they were for. It's punching well above its weight in terms of the volume of sound coming from it.
I should be pleased that this time there's no speaker pointing directly at my house, but I'm not. Instead, they've put speakers either side of the place. I'll admit that the noise is slightly less than last time but it's still loud. I doubt parents of young children appreciate it.
I went up to complain. I was told that it was only 5am to 10pm, Saturday and Sunday. Oh, and tonight too. "People like it! All religions! Hindus, Muslims, Christians....". Well, sorry mate, this person doesn't. Telling him that in my country he'd be locked up didn't cut much ice. And he wasn't too perturbed by my threat of turning up outside his house and beaming rock music at him. But I knew all along I was on a hiding to nothing - this is their culture and if I can't cope with it I should get out.
I can cope. When I got home I put on my music and turned the volume up. If I'm to be deafened at least it will be by my choice of noise!
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