Noise pollution at weddings

by Deepal Hewavissenti

As far as I can remember I might have attended more than hundred weddings since 1992 from the year I came back to Sri Lanka from the Middle East. In attending weddings at hotels there's a common disturbance with regard to music by which many invitees feel irritated during the function.

Invitees gather to attend the function in response to the invitation they received and to meet and have hearty chats with friends and relatives at the function who do not have the opportunity to meet on a regular basis. This is the time they get together to talk about happenings in their day to day life. Moreover, perhaps they have more serious issues to discuss .

Have you ever been able to have your hearty and savory t^te-...-t^te to your heart's content? Most of you will say " No". What is the reason? Nothing but the racking noise produced by music groups most hotels hire.

At such occasions you have to very often communicate in quite loud tone to compete with the noise in the background in order for the other person to hear what you have to say which is very uncomfortable. It's very bothersome. Perhaps the other party might be able to catch only half of what what's being said.

It's advisable for music groups to take this matter into consideration in order not to be blamed by the invitees for the inconvenience faced. It will be hassal free if the groups who play in hotels can do their task in a controlled manner and to a tolerable degree, that's to the ratified decimal range.

Many people who have had similar experience would like the atmosphere to be less noisy. It's the responsibility of the people who invite others, to inform the music group beforehand to play toned-down music to prevent discomfort most invitees have to go through.

Some people can argue that it's a wedding, not a function held in a temple. There're people who really enjoy 'noisy' music provided by bands. I don't want to dishearten them. Music gives comfort to the heart and soul when it is not uproarious.

It would be praiseworthy if the organisers can pay attention to the width, length, breadth and the height of the banquette hall in order to determine what type of music would be appropriate and not echo and give out unpleasant noises.

Another important point I would like to emphasise here is that one should take into consideration about the old people with less hearing power who attend such functions.

There's a possibility that they could go completely deaf and it is a violation of law too after all.