On most summer evenings in June when the crowds gather for a stroll on Shimla’s Ridge and the Mall it can be highly refreshing despite the milling crowds.
But there is a nagging problem of noise,harsh and loud emanating from the Ridge address chamber.
Here the state police has a shoddy orchestra playing. This band urges passing riff raff tourists to come up and sing a song of their choice with the band playing along. The singers are charged a small amount which goes into the red cross kitty.
One by one the casual singers come on to the stage. Almost none can sing, most are just excited by the impressive stage on the Ridge and the encouraging band playing along,so they croak along, often giggling into the microphone,sometimes shrieking, punishing the thousands of holiday makers in downtown Shimla.
This mindless singing by non professional singers is misery to the walkers on the Ridge and the Mall who are forced to listen to this trash.
This mindless croaking has gone on year after year, for weeks every summer.
One wonders where is the aesthetics of the district administration. Why can’t this cheap practice come to end.
Why doesn’t anyone protest against this forced sound pollution bombardment fired at the tourist and the local in the heart of Shimla.
Photo by Amit Kanwar
In a 20 year career published widely. He has worked for the BBC, AFP, The Statesman, IANS and the Business Standard . Known for his hard hitting writing and occasional off-beat stories. He lives in Shimla.
🙂 I wonder who in state government machinery came up with this idea to raise funds for Red Cross!
Shows the level of creative thinking of our state machinery!
The article rightly pointed out the menace being created going unabetted for couple of years. The peace of Ridge is under threat from the event needed to stop immediately. Prime summer time is being distorted by such mindless event.
well the rusted brains of the local admin and state machinery are at full display, a podium of high value is being used for such idiocacy, the admin shud oil their minds to displaying sumthing ethnic and showcasing and less polluting, they should take a leaf out of the Manali admin and tourism dept wherein local dancers and troupes go around in traditional dresses dancing and mingling with the guests/tourists
I agree with you Baldev. The noise-pollution should stop. How much they earned last year from this ‘croaking’? Any guesses! Rs.30000/- only. Just for few pennies, the administration pesters us – who were born and brought up here – in a tidy, peaceful Shimla. And about the tourists – Amal Allana, Chairperson of National School of Drama was here- she asked me, ” How could you tolerate this trash?” Neither a sane tourist nor a good resident of Shimla likes it – still…….
What are we ‘good’ at anyway?!
I am thankful the Monsoons have arrived early, mercifully this trash and garbage of the Town will be flushed down the Hills to……. The personnel and the administration manning the State Govt.are bereft of constructive schemes, as is quite obvious from the inanities plaguing the State.The logic behind may not be so obvious-but if one delves a little deeper the motives surely would appear not so dumb- cleverly cloaked in appropriate -terminology.
You will find the same unimaginative assortments of Tourist oriented entertainment in : the rickety Trams, revolving toy Helicopters, Swings,Slides and all kinds of mindless contraptions installed outside Resturaunts as inviting as the ASHIANA on the Ridge ! and many other tourist resorts and destinations in H P . I for one thought that people visited the Hill Stations to mix/merge and enjoy Nature and the fun and adventure it provides.
God bless HIMACHAL TOURISM
When I read this story, my respect for countries allowiing public flogging increases in my mind.
These croaking-culprits should be ready to hear public applause every time a whip comes down on their a*se.
With the respect to all replies and the main concerned article, I say this is one of the initiative, let us suggest a way forward instead of criticizing, i offer my self for improvements as i see the saturday plaza in chandigarh is a big hit and touirist love that, here we just have to modify this concept
Should flogging these croaks be a tourist attraction, Simla Administration should not waste a moment to declare the same as among the tourism heritege of the state.