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Comparative Analysis of Noise Pollution in Pilgrimage Places from

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Comparative Analysis of Noise Pollution in Pilgrimage
Places from Maharashtra, India
Sanjay Marale1, D.M. Mahajan2, Ravindra Gavali3 and Yogesh Lolage4
ISSN: 0974-6064
Enrich
Environment
Received December, 2010; in final form July, 2011
Multidisciplinary
International
1
Sanjay Marale Research
Journal
Research Scholar, Department of Environmental Sciences,
University of Pune, Issue 11
Pune - 411 007 (Maharashtra, India). Volume 04
Email: maralesanjay@gmail.com Number 02

August 2011
Abstract
There has been a considerable increase in the numbers of visitors to
pilgrimage centers in India is being experienced. Amongst several
environmental impacts of high influx of visitors, noise pollution in pilgrimage
sites is a subject that has received little attention, if any. This paper investigates
‘noise pollution’, both in terms of the scientific measurement of noise levels
and how these figures translate and reflect into popular discourses about
what constitutes noise pollution. The findings are based on field investigations
conducted in Alandi and Dehu, two regional pilgrimage centers in the state
of Maharashtra, India. The work involved identifying, mapping, and
monitoring of noise sources and a social survey of the local communities to
understand their views on noise pollution. Noise Impact Index (NII) were
calculated for each of the sites; for Dehu it was 0.4512 while in Alandi it was
1.2308. Although the paper firmly establishes a direct correlation between
visitor volumes and noise pollution, it was also found that the local community
did not perceive such levels of noise as pollution or a problem. On the contrary,
such ‘noise’ is considered an integral component of the ‘religious environment’
rooted in religious rituals and cultural practices. The paper also argues that
while scientific measurement is only a first step, it is necessary to use findings
and figures with methods related to religious ideology for addressing concerns
of noise pollution.

Key words
Pollution, Religious Environment, Pilgrimage, Noise Impact Index, Ambient
Air Quality 103
 Sanjay Marale, D.M. Mahajan, Ravindra Gavali and Yogesh Lolage
Introduction
In India, most debates and studies
regarding the environment have focused on
ISSN: 0974-6064 concerns such as deforestation, rural
Enrich
Environment economy, burgeoning urbanization and
Multidisciplinary pollution (Agarwal, 1999; Dwivedi and
International
Research Khator, 1995; Gadgil and Guha, 1995). The
Journal
pervasive environmental problems related
Issue 11
Volume 04 to urbanisation are also found in pilgrimage
Number 02
sites but have not been fully explored in
August 2011
relation to their special importance as sacred
sites that attract visitor flows. It is only
recently that scholars have shown interest
in the quantification of physical
environmental problems and explore the
environmental issues in sacred sites.
Environmental indicators such as air
pollution and solid waste problems have been
assessed by some environmentalists but
these assessments are driven by urban
concerns and not necessarily for the fact
that these places are pilgrimage sites
(Srikrishna, 1994; Trivedi and Agrawal,
2003). Some scholars have argued that
environmental impacts in pilgrimage sites are
similar to the effects of mass tourism in
tourist destinations (Joseph, 1994;
Lochtefeld, 1992; Singh, 2002). Other
studies have focused on the pressures of
urbanisation and increased visitor flows on
the existing built environment, natural
104 features, and infrastructure services.
Burgeoning resident population and
increased visitor flows place a high stress
on the existing water supply and sewerage
system, roads, and air quality
(Nagabhushanam, 1997; Srikrishna, 1994;
Trivedi and Agrawal, 2003; Varady, 1989).
A few studies have drawn attention to
the negative environmental impacts during
annual pilgrimage events when large
gatherings of people converge at pilgrimage
sites (Basheer, 2003; Nair, 2004; Pillai,
2005). There are various festivals and
religious ceremonies that may occur on a
single day, or over several days, weeks or
months. During these events, pilgrimage
sites are subjected to intermittent pressures
of heavy crowding of pilgrims and
congestion which often lead to stampede
and other human tragedies (Kashinatha,
1997; Kulkarni and Dhavalkar, 2005). In
addition, there is heightened demand for
basic services such as water supply and
drainage, and increased pressure on the
physical environment through the generation
of huge quantities of solid waste, soil and
water pollution, and land clearing for
creating temporary accommodation facilities
and amenities for pilgrims (Basheer, 2003;
Nagabhushanam, 1997; Pillai, 2005; Sidiq,
2004). This is in addition to the numerous
performances of rituals that directly
contribute to environmental pollution in
 Comparative Analysis of Noise Pollution in Pilgrimage Places from Maharashtra, India
pilgrimage sites (Ahmed et al., 2000).
Ahmed et al., (2000) refer to a report
prepared by the Central Pollution Control
Board (CPCB, the federal authority
addressing pollution related issues) in India
that describes the environmental impacts of
ritual of mass bathing in the river Ganga
during the Kumbh Melas (festivals).
Understanding noise pollution is
necessary for at least two interrelated
reasons: one, it is well known that regular
exposure to high levels of noise affects
human health and that noise is generated
during crowding. With considerable
increases in regular and frequent influxes
of visitors as regularly reported in media
(more than 100 million domestic tourists are
believed to be undertaking religious and
pilgrimage journeys annually), it seems all
the more prudent to examine what kind of
relationships exist between visitor flows,
noise pollution, and local communities in
pilgrimage sites. This paper investigates
noise pollution in Dehu and Alandi, two
important regional pilgrimage sites in
Maharashtra.
In India, the CPCB defines noise as
unwanted sound in the context of air
pollution (CPCB, 1996). According to the
Section 2(a) of the Air (Prevention and
Control of Pollution) Act (1981) ‘air
pollution means any solid, liquid, or gaseous
substance including noise present in the
atmosphere such concentration as may be
or tend to injurious to human beings or other
living creatures, or plants, or property or ISSN: 0974-6064
Enrich
environment’. Environment
A handful studies have reported on the Multidisciplinary
International
high levels of noise pollution in pilgrimage Research
Journal
sites; a study of Himalayan tourist
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destinations, of which many are pilgrimage Volume 04
Number 02
centers, revealed that high tourist influx and
August 2011
concomitant increase in the numbers of
automobiles resulted in higher emissions in
mountain communities leading to the
degradation of air quality and creation of
noise pollution (Sharma 2002). In another
study, that of the Sabarimala pilgrimage in
Kerala, a constant noise level between 65
and 70 dB was recorded throughout the day
and the night during pilgrimage season in
Pampa, the base town for the yatra, there
uninterrupted circulation of vehicles and
loudspeakers were the major causes while
at the top of the hill, in Sannidhanam (the
main temple precinct), the crowd was
responsible for high levels noise as they
engaged in bursting of fire crackers during
ritualized performances. One study has
drawn attention to noise pollution during
public celebrations of festivals over long
durations. Pulikesi et al. (2006) investigated
the problem of noise pollution on the
occasion of Diwali in Perambur and 105
 Sanjay Marale, D.M. Mahajan, Ravindra Gavali and Yogesh Lolage

Madurantakam, two towns located near Saint Dnyaneshwar had embraced

Chennai in south India. They observed that medieval tradition of devotional worship to
the daytime mean noise level for Perambur Vishnu (a god in Hindu pantheon) and his
ISSN: 0974-6064 was 86 dB and for Madurantakam, it was incarnation in the region known as Lord
Enrich
Environment 95 dB. Both these figures exceeded the Panduranga. He popularized a walking
Multidisciplinary Ambient Air Quality (AAQ) standard of 55 pilgrimage from Alandi to Pandharpur,
International
Research dB noise level in residential area. The where the main temple of Panduranga is
Journal
reason behind it was bursting of located. This tradition continues in the form
Issue 11
Volume 04 firecrackers, an activity considered as of a Palakhi (palanquin) festival, where
Number 02
important ritual in Diwali celebration. pilgrims take religious paraphernalia
August 2011
associated with Saint Dyaneshwar into
The study area palanquins and in processions, follow the
Alandi and Dehu (Dehugaon) form a same 250 km route from Dehu, Alandi to
twin-set of regional pilgrimage places in the Pandharpur every year in the month of July.
state of Maharashtra and are famous for
being abodes of popular poet-saints. Both Methodology
are located on the banks of Indrayani River Noise pollution is generally measured
in Pune district; Dehu is about 16 kms by using Leq the equivalent continuous noise
upstream of Alandi. level expressed in dB(A), which is the
Alandi lies at a distance of 25 km to the average rate at which sound is received by
east of the Pune metropolitan and is mainly the human ear during the period mentioned.
known for housing the samadhi (tomb) and This parameter was measured with the help
a commemorative temple of the popular of an integrating type of sound level meter
poet-saint Dnyaneshwar (1272-1300 AD). (LT Lutron SL-4010). Fourteen sampling
Dehu is famous as the birthplace of Saint locations were selected to represent silence
Tukaram, a 17th century poet-saint who also zone, residential zone and commercial zone
followed doctrines of devotional worship. in accordance with the standards used by
The main attraction in Dehu is the temple CPCB, eight in Alandi and Six in Dehu
of Saint Tukaram and most events These locations included: two control
associated with his life are celebrated as stations, one at Bodakewadi (3 km
festivals and occasions for pilgrim visits. upstream of river Indrayani from Dehu)
106
 Comparative Analysis of Noise Pollution in Pilgrimage Places from Maharashtra, India
and the other at Bhandara hills (5 km away
from Dehu); the central bus stands (directly
associated with vehicular traffic); the most
important temples which serves as nodes
of pilgrimage activities in each town; and
two residential areas in close vicinity of the
Saint Dnyaneshwar and Saint Tukaram
temples (within a distance of about 100 m)
and commercial areas surrounding the
entrance to the temples which are important
centers of retail activity and trading of
various commodities for use of pilgrims.
A total of 750 readings of noise levels
were taken at regular intervals over one year
period (from March 2007 to April 2008).
These were then classified as readings for
ordinary days (all days of week) and for
the important days of peak visitor flow.
These included the monthly Ekadashi, an
annual fair, and the season of marriage
ceremonies. Readings were taken at regular
intervals of four hours throughout the day
(at 6 am, 10 am, 2 pm, 6 pm, 10 pm).
In addition to measuring noise levels, a
social survey was conducted to understand
perceptions of the local community towards
noise pollution. This information was used
for deriving a NII of the specific source.
The survey included 122 families from the
central areas of Dehu, 236 families from
Alandi, and 6 families from Bodakewadi,
one of the control stations.
Noise Impact Index (NII):
It is necessary to consider perceptions
of the local community and pilgrims
regarding various sources of noise pollution, ISSN: 0974-6064
Enrich
for calculating the NII of a specific source. Environment
A particular focus was on the number of Multidisciplinary
International
families having complaints about various Research
Journal
sources. In order to arrive at the overall
Issue 11
noise impact of a source on the surrounding Volume 04
Number 02
community, two factors are considered, Pi
August 2011
the number of people exposed to various
noise levels is used to arrive at a single noise
exposure index called, the Total Weighted
Population (TWP) (Hansen 2005) and Wi
which is calculated using day-night average
sound levels (Ldn), weighting factors to
weight higher levels as more important and
the number of people exposed to each level
as follows:
TWP = ∑i WiPi
Where Pi is the number of people
associated with the ith weighting factor
which, in turn is related to a particular Ldn
level as defined in Table 1.
On the basis of various noise pollution
sources identified at Dehu and Alandi,
loudness of these sources measured in
dB(A) day and night (Wi) and proportion of
population (in per cent) complained about
these sources (Pi), the TWP was
calculated. From the TWP values and the 107
 Sanjay Marale, D.M. Mahajan, Ravindra Gavali and Yogesh Lolage

complained population the NII was annual peaks of about 4 to 5 lakh pilgrims
calculated. per day are reached during the fairs in
Table 1 November (Kartiki Ekadashi) and June
ISSN: 0974-6064 Annoyance weighting factors (Ashadhi Ekadashi). It is estimated that
Enrich
Environment corresponding to values of Ldn during off season, the number of visitors is
Multidisciplinary around 10 to 12 thousand. In Dehu, the
International Range of Ldn (dB) Wi
Research aggregate annual congregation at the two
Journal
35-40 0.01
fairs is close to 100,000. In Alandi, weekly
Issue 11
Volume 04 40-45 0.02 peak in numbers of visitors is reached on
Number 02
45-50 0.05 Thursdays while Sunday and Tuesday
August 2011
50-55 0.09 witness visitor numbers in excess of 25,000.
55-60 0.18 Annual visitor numbers average to 11.1
60-65 0.32 million in Alandi and 2.5 million in Dehu.
Another contributor to visitor flows is
65-70 0.54
the regular celebration of marriages in Alandi
70-75 0.83
and as many as 50 to 75 thousand people
75-80 1.20
attend these ceremonies. During the
80-85 1.70 marriage season, around 300-400 marriages
take place daily. The sources of noise
The relative impact of one particular pollution are likely to include use of
noise environment may be compared with loudspeakers in temples and dharmshala’s,
another by comparing the Noise Impact bursting of firecrackers used during the
Index for each environment, defined as: marriages, retail trade and commercial
activities associated with pilgrim flows.
TWP The standards set by the CPCB
NII = ----------
exceeded for all sampling locations except
∑ Pi
i Bodakewadi and Bhandara hills (Table 2).
Results It is to be noted that not a single zone has
During the study it was observed that been clearly defined in these pilgrim towns
there was some seasonality pattern in visitor as defined by PCB for other areas. Near
flows and this occurs regular at daily, temples commercial activities are intense
108 weekly, monthly and annually. In Alandi, with residential areas which results in
 Comparative Analysis of Noise Pollution in Pilgrimage Places from Maharashtra, India

Table 2: Average noise levels dB(A) at Dehu and Alandi

Sampling location Zone* ANL** Variation
A. Dehu
ISSN: 0974-6064
1. Bhandara S 47.5 2.5
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2. Bodakewadi R 52.0 2.0 Environment
Multidisciplinary
3. Tukaram temple S 63.0 18.0 International
Research
4. Mahadwar Chowk C 60.5 0.5 Journal

5. Vaikunth-gamansthan S 55.5 10.5 Issue 11

Volume 04
Number 02
6. Residential area R 50.5 0.5
August 2011
7. Bus Stand C 63.0 3.0
B. Alandi
1. Dnyaneshwar Temple S 70.0 25.0
2. Mahadwar Chowk C 70.0 10.0
3. Chakan Chowk R and C 71.5 16.5
4. Ghaswala Chowk R and C 67.5 12.5
5. Bhairavnath Chowk R and C 59.5 4.5
6. Residential area R 63.0 13.0
7. Bus stand C 71.5 11.5
8. Municipal Council C 71.5 11.5
(Note: Zone* S - Silence, R - Residential and C - Commercial;
ANL** - Average noise level)

increasing noise level. In Dehu, the noise
level has exceeded CPCB limits in silence
zones at two stations, while residential and
commercial zones shows noise level below
the limit. In case of Alandi, all types of zones
show the noise level values above the limit.
It was found that 93.38 per cent
families at Dehu did not complained about
noise pollution, 4.13 per cent people
complained about the noise from temple
loudspeaker and 2.47 per cent people
complained about the traffic noise. At Alandi,
75.84 per cent families did not complained
about any problem of noise, 21.61 per cent
complained about loudspeaker, firecrackers
and shouting in marriage ceremonies 109
 Sanjay Marale, D.M. Mahajan, Ravindra Gavali and Yogesh Lolage

Table 3: Total Weighted Population (TWP) and Noise Impact Index (NII)

Place and their Source Families Per cent Wi values TWP NII
of pollution complained of families
ISSN: 0974-6064
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A) Dehu
Environment 1. Temple Loudspeaker 5 4.13 0.32
Multidisciplinary
International 2. Traffic 3 2.47 0.32 2.1112 0.4512
Research
Journal
B) Alandi
Issue 11 1. Marriage and traffic 51 21.61 1.20
Volume 04
Number 02 2. Temple Loudspeaker 8 3.36 0.54
August 2011 3. Crowding 8 3.36 0.54 29.5608 1.2308

accompanied by crowding and traffic noise
1.69 per cent people complained about
overcrowding due to concentration of
pilgrims and their rituals. About 0.42 per cent
people complained about loudspeakers in
Dnyaneshwar Maharaj temple and various
Dharmshala spread all over in Alandi. It was
found that the Noise Impact Index of Dehu
was 0.4512 and that of Alandi was 1.2308.
Conclusion
The study reveals that the scientific and
physical measurement of noise pollution
differs from the perception of noise pollution
as a problem. A primary reason is the kind
of activities that takes place in Dehu and
Alandi as part of religious and cultural
rituals. Although judicial provisions prohibits
the use of loudspeakers after 10 pm in urban
areas, temples are exempted. Accordingly,
110 loudspeakers start by dawn for various
prayers such as Bhajan, Kirtan etc and
continue until midnight.
Besides this these Dharmshalas are
venues for marriage ceremonies for more
than 6 months of the year in which not only
loudspeakers are used, but firecrackers,
orchestrated music systems and
professional celebrations are equally
important. Congestion, due to vehicular
traffic, obstacles, pilgrims, marriage
ceremonies, hawkers, and unplanned
residential and commercial growth in and
around the temple and town are other
factors contributing to noise pollution.
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