Charcha Time: How Loud Is Too Loud For Ganeshotsav?

Pune residents raise concerns over excessive noise during Ganeshotsav. With DJs, sound boxes and amplified music becoming increasingly central to festivities, the question about where celebration ends and disturbance begins. Satya Tirtharaj Ghosal moderates a debate

Pushkar Shrotri, Actor & Director

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Celebration should not become someone else's suffering. For me, a festival is about emotion, togetherness and celebration not just noise. Growing up, festivals meant music, laughter and people coming together. I don't believe sound has to be eliminated, but there's a difference between celebratory sound and excessive noise. A festival can be equally joyful and vibrant without crossing that decibel limit.

As someone in the entertainment industry, I understand music's importance. But when DJs or loudspeakers blast at high volumes for hours, especially late at night, it becomes a problem. While one group celebrates, someone else may have an exam, a medical emergency, a newborn at home, or simply need sleep. Celebration should not become someone else's suffering.

Asking for responsible noise levels isn't asking people to stop celebrating, it's asking us to celebrate with sensitivity. Tradition isn't about how loud we can be, it's about why we celebrate. We can preserve culture, rituals and enthusiasm while being considerate towards senior citizens, children, patients and neighbours.

Some inconvenience is part of city life, and I accept that. But there's a difference between tolerating inconvenience and glorifying excess. I'd like us to stop asking "how loud was our music?" and start asking "how many people did we make happy?" including the police who sacrifice their own festivities to keep ours safe.
So, if I could make one appeal, it would be:

Celebrate with all your heart. Sing, dance, pray, meet people, enjoy the festival to the fullest. But show some respect towards the elders, have some sanctity of the festival, celebrate for someone else's peace.

Because the true spirit of a festival is not in the number of decibels we create. It is in the happiness we generate and the respect shown to those who protect that happiness.

Sanket Malgundkar, Treasurer of Shree Ganeshotsav Mandal Girgaoncha Raja

While traditional values emphasize devotion and simplicity, many believe music and dance add to the joy and spirit of celebration. However, we also understand the importance of maintaining decorum and ensuring the festivities are respectful of all.

We will try to strike a balance by setting reasonable time limits for loud music and encourage quieter, more traditional forms of worship alongside the celebrations. We would engage with residents to understand their concerns and adapt accordingly.

Respecting the perspective of those who prefer quieter celebrations and believe devotion can be expressed in many ways. Our aim is to celebrate with enthusiasm while being considerate of the community's peace and comfort.

Over time, the celebrations have become more vibrant and grand by incorporating music, lighting and spectacles to attract more devotees and create a festive atmosphere. Nonetheless, we remain committed to preserving the spiritual essence of Ganeshotsav.

We are, absolutely, open for making adjustments that ensure the festival remains inclusive and respectful of everyone's comfort, especially the elderly, children and patients.

I believe the line is crossed when celebrations cause persistent noise that disturbs sleep, health or peace. We aim to keep the festivities lively yet considerate, ensuring they don't become a nuisance to the community.

Ultimately, our philosophy is simple: celebration and consideration are not opposites. Ganeshotsav can remain joyous, grand and full of energy while still honouring the comfort and wellbeing of everyone around us.

Krisha Shah, Postgrad Student

For me, it's a combination of everything. Music and DJs definitely make the atmosphere more energetic, especially when celebrating with friends, but I also enjoy the traditions, food and spending time with family. I don't think one element defines a festival.

Good music at a reasonable volume can genuinely add to the experience but there are moments when everyone singing and dancing together feels like a real part of the celebration. Sometimes it does become unnecessarily loud, especially when that same intensity continues for hours. It really depends on how and where it's used.

I would probably choose a high-energy pandal with DJs, because festivals are one of those occasions when you want to go out, meet people and soak in the atmosphere. But I wouldn't want it so crowded or loud that you can't actually enjoy yourself, a balance between energy and comfort would be ideal.

Social media has definitely made people more conscious of how festivals look and feel, encouraging organisers to go bigger. But it also helps showcase creativity and brings attention to community celebrations.

We don't have to eliminate music just because some prefer peace but people celebrating should remember the neighbourhood doesn't revolve around the festival. Permitted timings and controlled volume can let both sides coexist.

I'd keep the traditions, the darshan, and the sense of community while cutting down on unnecessary noise and adding fun, eco-friendly touches. That way, the festival stays modern without losing its heart.

Sushant Prajapati, CA Student

Growing up, festivals felt more community-oriented with music, dhol, decorations and gatherings, but on a smaller scale. Today celebrations are more elaborate, with DJs, sound systems and larger pandals. I wouldn't say one is better than the other, celebration has simply evolved with the times.

To some extent, millennials grew up as traditional celebrations blended with modern entertainment, and we've embraced amplified music and bigger events. But I don't think our generation alone can be blamed, it is the people's expectations of entertainment changing across generations, and naturally reflects on festivals.

Ganeshotsav can definitely be enjoyed without loud music. Devotion, decorations, visiting pandals and spending time with family are enough to make it meaningful. At the same time, sound systems have become part of the atmosphere for many. So, the question isn't whether they should exist, but how much is appropriate.

We don't have to choose between tradition and modernity, a DJ or bigger pandal doesn't make a festival less traditional. But if entertainment becomes so dominant that the cultural and spiritual aspect gets forgotten, we should reconsider what we're actually celebrating.

I'd support reasonable, consistently applied regulations along with some room for celebration and music, without ignoring others' right to sleep or live peacefully, especially late at night.

Social media has influenced how festivals are presented, sometimes encouraging extravagance, but it hasn't eliminated community. The challenge is ensuring a shareable moment doesn't outweigh actually experiencing the festival together.

Gaurav Yadav, Event Manager

I think it's a combination of factors, but music plays an important role. Festivals are social occasions, and a good DJ or sound system creates energy that brings people together. For Gen Z especially, the experience is about participation, atmosphere and creating memories with friends, while still retaining the festival's traditional elements.

The issue isn't the presence of a DJ or sound box, but how responsibly the sound is managed. There's a difference between creating an energetic atmosphere and simply making noise.

Personally, I'd prefer the high-energy celebration, provided it's organised properly. There's something unique about being surrounded by hundreds of people celebrating together, with music, lights and the atmosphere of the pandal, that collective energy is hard to recreate in a quiet setting. At the same time, the celebration should be mindful of the surrounding community.

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Social media has changed how events are experienced. Organisers want to create something memorable because people share these experiences online, but I wouldn't call that negative as competition pushes creativity in themes, technology and event management. The spectacle just shouldn't overshadow the festival's purpose.

Celebration and consideration can coexist with permitted timings, intelligent speaker placement, and sound directed toward the celebration area rather than residential spaces. I'd keep the devotion, community spirit and music that connects the younger generation to the festival, while adding better sound management and eco-conscious touches, modernising without losing its cultural heart.

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