DJ music sounds death knell for groom on wedding night in Bihar's Sitamarhi district

PATNA: A marriage ceremony turned into mourning when a groom suffered a heart attack and died shortly after he exchanged garlands with his bride on the stage, at Indarva village in Sitamarhi district, late on Wednesday. According to family members, the groom collapsed on the stage after he felt uncomfortable with the high decibel of the DJ music blaring at his 'varmala' ceremony.
Surendra Kumar, 22, a resident of Manithar village in Sitamarhi, had led his wedding procession to the house of the bride located at Indarva village on Wednesday and everyone was happy to see the groom on the stage. Very soon, the bride too reached the stage and the couple exchanged garlands. Right at the time, the DJ began playing loud music and the youths, who joined his wedding procession, began dancing to the tune of the latest numbers.
Witnesses said the high frequency sounds troubled the groom, who repeatedly asked for either turning down the volume or at least keep the DJ away, but none entertained his requests.
"We saw him collapsing on the stage. He was instantly rushed to a local hospital but the doctors declared him brought dead," a local villager Ramnandan Rai told the local media. His last rites were performed at his village on Thursday.
‘Loud noise can impact hearing, increase anxiety’
The incident highlights how the current trend of entertainment coupled with open violation of guidelines issued by the regulatory body is now robbing off happiness from the life of people and causing severe health complications. Old timers say it was normally a quiet wedding in their times but now it is full of sound and cacophony signifying nothing. “DJ had not come then, though loudspeakers played out old music.
Also, the weddings meant courtesy and decorum but today, they have been replaced by DJ sounds and celebratory firing as they have become associated with status symbols,” recalled former professor Sachindra Narayan. Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BRPCB) has recommended maintaining environmental noise at 55 decibel (dB) during day time and 45 dB during night time for the residential areas but the people have been breaking the rule with impunity. “The problem begins once you cross the permissible limit which makes the people prone to ear drum troubles, cardiac problems, insomnia and lung-related ailments, but the people hardly appear taking note of it,”
BSPCB chairman Ashok Kumar Ghosh told the TOI on Friday. According to him, they have banned playing out loudspeakers and DJ after 10pm and issued instructions for playing out music within the prescribed limit. “But you must know we are only the advisory body. We don’t have power or agency to execute the order although we take cognizance of the matter and inform the district administration,” Ghosh added. “Apart from causing hearing loss, the loud noises increase the risk of anxiety, depression and heart attacks yet the use of DJs and loudspeakers during wedding, festival times and other social functions goes on unchecked in the state and none take it seriously,” ENT specialist Dr Prabhat Shankar said. He added he would request the IMA to look into the matter.