Maun Vrat- Period of Silence

This is, as far as I know, India's gift to the world. I am inspired to go on one every now and then, like now. Blogging does not count as talking, therefore I can rightfully claim to be on one.

When does one go on a period of silence? When you feel disturbed. I understand in the meditation system called Vipassana, you have to switch your mouth off for a week at a time. If that makes you go weak in the knees, all the better. Children do not understand the need for silence, and can be forgiven their lapses. But adults, with new-found toys such as mobile phones, find it hard to keep shut, even in (or maybe particularly in) public places. By far, the most effective way to shut the males of our species is to get them married - to a female of the species.

Silence is supposed to be golden, and with gold prices being at an all time high, one would imagine that silence would be at a premium, and so it is. Noise is one of the biggest problems mankind faces, and the idiot box contributes much of the idiocy associated with everyday noise. The TV debates are extremely noisy, and so are the ads. That leaves the saas bahu serials. They bring in some rap-style background noises while focusing the camera on all the characters available for the shoot that day, sequentially. Makes you want to force them to go on the longest maun vrat of all. After all, what is the mute button for?

The festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi now have a regular dose of song and dance playfully adjusted to high decibel levels, so that ENT specialists are assured of good business in the "E" part of their specialisation. Diwali is around the corner, and while I am all for the fun and light, would someone please cut the sound? Community Maun Vrat, anyone?