Now, now, don’t growl at me. I am just suggesting, not criticizing at all. You know too well that loud music on your headphones might damage your hearing capacity. Also, if you really want to enjoy this feast, it is better in the morning or during late evening. Why do I say so, you ask? Well, during those times the loud noise of the vehicles that mar the pleasant sounds of nature is reduced.
Let me share with you one of my experiences. A few days back, I decided to enjoy the sounds around me. It was about 6:30 pm. I closed my eyes, ready for my experience.[break]
Gradually, I became aware of the loud chatting of people somewhere, off to the right. Suddenly, both my dogs started barking. A chorus built up as two more dogs from the neighborhood joined in the party. Sudden slamming of a door distracted me. I opened my eyes and thought, not time yet, I was a bit early. I decided to wait for about 15 minutes.
While waiting, I noticed the tranquil atmosphere being broken occasionally by the evening rituals of different people in their houses. There was the tinkling of ghanti followed by the pleasant smell of dhoop. Obviously, my neighbors had just finished their evening prayers with the lightening of sanjh batti. The prolonged hisses and abrupt stops of the pressure cookers indicated initiation of dinner somewhere. Five seconds later, a pleasant smell accompanied another hiss. The whirrrrrr of a motorcycle engine and the beep of another motorcycle horn indicated more people returning home. So I waited for some more time and finally silence prevailed. It was about 6:45 pm. Little by little, the loud noise started to subside and the evening became serene after the ruckus.
I closed my eyes one more time to the sound of cooing of the pigeons along with the sound of soft bhajan far away. I finally heard some birds chirping, along with a few new and distinct chirpings. Obviously, some new species of birds were visiting our area. I hoped to see them the next morning. Slowly, the insects started sounding louder. Then there was the constant pitter-patter of the rain on the jastapata nearby.
There was the constant trrrrr of a night insect, and the pulsating, high-pitched squeaking of crickets - unbroken, and underlying everything. Almost ignored was this sweet, soothing music of sitar somewhere. Finally, the screeching of an owl marked the end of my rich and lively feasting. I enjoyed my treat for a few more moments. I realized evening was the right time. While I had my eyes closed, the smooth night with the beautiful moon had already ascended and the soft wind felt almost like velvet on my skin. Having experienced the heightened awareness of the sound, I thought, Nature indeed is amazing. You will enjoy it even more at your village home.
You must be wondering why I called it a feast. As you know, a feast has all kinds of foods – soft, sweet, sour and spicy! My experience with different kinds of sounds was no less than a delightful and tasty feast. Let your imagination go wild and you will understand what I mean.
The next time you are bored, close your eyes and concentrate. Don’t forget to turn off the TV or radio. Give it a try. Who knows, you may have a wonderful experience yourself. I bet you can’t wait to get to your ancestral village home to experience all this.
Pokharel is an educationist, consultant and author of several children’s books.
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