I woke up this morning with a sparrow tweeting at the window. As I opened my eyes, I saw a meek bird perched on the window and calling out with all its might. The sky outside appeared dark giving indications of a possible downpour in the near future. As I started to get up, the legs of my bed creaked in their most usual way. The creaking started from the fore leg and continued in the hind as I sat upright on my bed. A little distance away I could hear sounds of steel utensils clanking in the kitchen. And then there was this portable fan in the adjacent room that made its fast whizzing sound. This sound became more pronouncing whenever the fan rotated towards me and started to faint whenever it swung away.
'Ting ting'. There were two distinct beeps on my cell phone. I had got a text message. It was a good morning message from a friend. Suddenly I gazed at the window. Lo, the bird was gone! The window was quiet as ever. Two kids were playing on the terrace of the neighbouring building, evidently trying to enjoy the cool weather. The shrill sound of the small kid very much caught my attention. I then turned towards the door. I heard my mother singing something in a very low tone - a hum - the one that comes automatically when you are busy doing something. I walked out of the room. The fan continued to whiz. I felt a huge desire in me to climb up to the terrace and look around. As I walked to the front door, there was a fast beating sound of water gushing down the kitchen tap and onto the surface below. Soon, a steel vessel was kept underneath it and the sound changed its form.
I trod upstairs. I could hear human conversations far away of which I couldn't make anything out. My slippers made beating sounds as I climbed the stairs. Somebody's mobile phone rang and the trenchant rhythm of the 'Nokia Tune' caught my ears. I reached the terrace. It was 7 o' clock in the morning. A cold gust of wind welcomed me. The wind made a swooshing sound near my ears as it blew past. I headed towards the parapet. I looked around. There were so many things to perceive. There were sights I could witness a little distance away but, there were sounds I could hear from distances where my vision couldn't reach. Resting my hands on the parapet, I tried to comprehend the sounds around me. I heard cars and motorbikes blowing their horns as they passed along the road that led to my college and away from it. There were people gathered here and there; some were busy eating at the breakfast stall, some were busy talking and laughing as they sipped their morning tea at the nearby tea stall and yet some others gathered at the grocery store. The voices were indistinct but they weren't monotonic. At times when they laughed or called at someone, the sound would be so pronounced that I could even hear the name being called or sense the pattern of their laugh.
Suddenly a flight of birds appeared from the western sky and proceeded towards the horizon. I looked up. It was a beautiful sight! There were about a twenty birds flying across the sky forming a pattern and all were chirping at the same time. The flock appeared cheerful and apparently upbeat. I walked a few steps ahead to behold another landscape. Somewhere men were at work. The cool wind brought sounds of wood work, the faint rumble of a moving tractor, the sound emanating from unloading of bricks at a construction site, right to where I stood. A bird swooshed down and perched on a resting dog. The latter got infuriated and got up barking loud. Poor bird! It started flying again. I couldn't help but grin at the dog.
I turned my ears to hear other things. The voices of priests chanting hymns at the nearby temple now became evident. People struck the temple bell from time to time and it made a clear ringing sound every time. Then a loaded truck appeared on the road. Its brakes screeched heavily as it slowed to negotiate a turn. The engine roared, the horns honked as it passed close to my building and soon the sounds started to diminish giving way to others. I looked up. It was almost going to rain. Nimbuses had taken charge and sky had turned darker and paler with the sun veiled in the fabric of the clouds. Soon there was a thunder. Winds started blowing faster. The sound of winds gushing became more pronounced than any other sound. A moment later, there was a bang and the breakfast stall was closed abruptly with the premonition of rain.
At once I thought of something. I ran down to my room and caught hold of my headphone. I put it on my ears to make it act as ear muff and with my ears completely concealed I steadied to the terrace again. I stood right in the middle and I stood still. I closed my eyes and tried to perceive the faintest of sounds. Now the world was engulfed in silence, or at least it seemed so. No sounds of vehicles moving, no chirping of birds and no sounds from the construction site. The surroundings seemed so serene and lifeless. There was a second thunder but it was much fainter than the one before and the reason was obvious. I could feel the cold wind bruising my body but had it become mute? Did the temple priests stop chanting hymns? What about the people who had gathered at the shops? The world around me had turned dull and quiet.
I opened my eyes as a raindrop landed on my hand. I removed the headphone. Ah! The world came back from its slumber. People were moving hastily to avoid getting drenched in the rain which had announced its arrival, the vehicles blew horns even louder, the street vendors now honked not to sell their wares but to clear their way to move, the truck that moved past our building a little ago was halted at a distance and was now ready to move, evident from the engine sound. And not long before it started to rain. Many more sounds came into beingness. Rain falling on roofs made a sound and rain falling on turf produced yet another sound. I hurried downstairs.
How fascinating is the world when you have so much to hear and perceive. And how melancholic is the world when you fail to comprehend them. Sounds, in varied forms, are truly the subjective sensations that relate us to the objects of nature...
I heard the soft hum of my mother's song once again.
I heard the soft hum of my mother's song once again.
