The atmosphere was electric. The orchestra had reached its crescendo. It was a potpourri of the different musical instruments playing in close coordination. There was the tabla maestro going tad-kitta-dha in a staccato rhythm. Giving him company was the sitar player with his tiaon-tiaon causing cramps in his arms. Competing against him was the guitar player, who had added a metallic tinge to his instrument. The flute player added the calming notes. But he was almost drowned out by the drums who were in majority. The players who had opted for peaceful instruments like the harp and the piano were overshadowed by the violins, trumpets and saxophones. And in all this, the poor traffic police was at his wits end, though he tried to play his part as the Conductor in earnest.

You would think, Where did that last statement come from, out of the blue? What has a traffic police got to do in an orchestra? Well, this may soon be the case in India, if what I read today in the newspapers, comes true. The traffic jams across the Indian cities would see such scenarios on a regular basis. For there is a proposal from the authorities to make the vehicle horns sound like different musical instruments.

The day is not far when a different kind of talent hunt is launched on OTT platforms in India for car horn orchestras.

Yatindra Tawde

Photo – by Mario LA Pergola on unsplash.com