I can not imagine hospitals as a place for making merriment or for exchange of pleasantries. But, we Indians seem to be completely different from others. Is it not mandatory to maintain silence in hospitals because the patients be it a simple ailment of a major one need calmness and quiet atmosphere?

Recently, I was completely horrified to see the unruly and insensitive behavior of the public in a popular hospital campus. It is a big and well known medical center in the city for treatments and surgeries. I was an attendant to a young patient for whom a minor surgery to be performed.

The population in India is something abnormal to say the least. The hospital approximately houses nearly twenty operation theatres which were put to use continuously by the various surgeons according to their reservation and turns. So the patients are taken at least one hour in advance to the annexe to the theatre to wait in the queue before entering the exact theatre. Only two were allowed to accompany but they have to wait in an adjacent hall so that they could be called if any information to be passed on to them or inform them once the surgery is over.

This hall was overflowing with people because none obey the rules of two. Even if the watchmen there try to control they stealthily enter while he is away. They sit there and chat loudly. The intermittent ringtones of various types and decibels of their cell phones are nerve raking. Adding to this horror there is a television set blaring programs. Some even go and change the channels also.

Eating is prohibited in the hall. But as one enters one cannot but miss the strong smell of food items as these were also brought violating the norms and eat sneakily. The noise levels of the chat was so high that every time the watchman has to order for silence before yelling at the top of his voice the patients name to call his attendant. I found one lady was totally lost in a cell phone conversation that after many shouts of the patient’s name only she realized to the disgust of the watchman.

We call ourselves as the most home loving, affectionate, emotional and what not. But then how can one behave so boisterously and carelessly when someone close to you was struggling for better health or life somewhere nearby?

Prince Siddharth must be an exception to become Buddha who was terribly moved by the sickness, death and hunger. All cannot be Siddharth and can become Buddha. But at least are we not educated or emotional enough to respect the somberness of the uncertainty of human life?

Temples have become already places of entertainment than a silent spots for worship or prayer.  At least here, can't the friends or relatives sit quietly and pray for their patients instead of chit chatting loudly?

In the present day materialistic world, I am afraid, we, the Indians will make even a graveyard a place of merriment.