The Speaker strikes back.

There is a limit, even to the boundary of the Universe. To keep a life line open, the wise men qualify the above statement with a rider – the visible Universe. This allows one to postulate the existence of an invisible and inaudible Universe. Such an oasis in the Universe will be welcome to two classes of people on earth: the scammer's opting for invisibility and the decibel haters shutting themselves in inaudibility.

Who are the decibel haters?

In a country where freedom is enjoyed with out responsibility, a portion of the public or the so called common man will be a likely candidate for membership in the decibel haters club. Why?

Be it a public meeting or a temple festival, the flexi boards (temporary hoarding) and room sized audio systems make the first appearance. If it is a public meeting, the flexi boards display a group photo of the present to the past (with out a halo of course!) leaders. These boards erected at the behest of the state strong man to perpetuate his own dynastic-al intentions and part of the funding is met by him. For contributing towards the rest of the expenditure, the local strong man includes his family version, if possible. The flexi boards made for a temple festival is all together from a different genre. The Deity will be surrounded by a collage of donors making HER or HIM claustrophobic. These flexi boards will welcome, stare at or even threaten with dire consequences (by the look of it) any one stepping out of his /her house.

 The much needed temporary dais is usually constructed, with permission or impunity, right on the middle of the road, causing traffic jam and forced diversion. Power cut or not, the audio system is given the privilege, to draw electricity from the nearest pole and play devotional, emotional or political cult songs for at least for 16 hrs.

Why the decibel hater’s club hates these functions? In a flexi board and audio system culture what she or he gets is – eyesore and bleeding eardrums.

The hapless victim starts cursing the bygone era inventors of recording and playback systems, particularly the amplifiers, bass, treble and hoofer type noise makers. The power of these noise makers is so strong that even burying the ears under a tightly held pillow gives no relief to the aggrieved. He or She can only curse silently (no use in shouting to be heard over the din) and pray that for some heavenly deliverance. The doubt in their mind is with the Deities putting up with all these noises whether THEY will come to their rescue?

They are not alone in the battle with the din – the vibrating elements of the audio systems have had enough of it. Being inanimate they are still waiting for a miracle to deliver them - a speaker less sound system. These inanimate objects also sense that no body will be giving them a hearing, amidst all these revelries. There is no known Inanimate God to appeal.

The stressed citizens got together and drafted a representation to the concerned authorities for relief. Sensing religious and political overtones, the concerned authorities went incommunicado plugging their ear drums with wads of cotton. In a heated meeting one of them even went to the extent of saying that at least now the speaker should act. The gathering sat silently for a moment not understanding the context of the outburst, as the ‘speaker’ was a sympathizer of the other camp- politically. The meeting broke up in confusion.

In a parallel get together, the inanimate objects also exchanged views in repair shops- a la A Night in the Museum. The animals and the historical figures coming to life, in the museum made the movie wonderful to watch and who might have passed on this juicy piece of information to these speakers in the repair shop? May be the discarded sound system with speakers must have to the shop from a theatre where the movie was screened.

They are not alone. The ghosts of Thomas Alva Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, and Emile Berliner et al are turning in their graves for having left a legacy in sound. Hind sight can never be a substitute foresight .This realization had come to them very late and long after damaging millions of ear drums of the living.