The Silence Zone

Whizzing, hurtling, through the alleyways of Mumbai in a taxi, horns blaring, pedestrians scrambling, I laughed loudly at the following;

‘CAUTION. You are entering SILENCE ZONE’.

Thing is, it was no more silent than a rock concert.

So, since when has silence become a danger?

Well in this city silence takes on a new meaning. It is a rarity here, almost an abnormality in the way the city functions. The noise is incessant. The sheer mass of people on the move create a rock concert all of their own. Car horns are constant, but are used not in insult or anger, but as warnings of approach, or indicators, or simply as greetings. In this city the noise just part of the function.

So yes, if I did come to a place which was silent, I too would be cautious, asking myself, ‘What is wrong?’

tags: India, Mumbai, Bombay, Social Entrepreneur, Travel, Silence