As people continue to stay within the confines of their homes during the ongoing lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus, the city has largely fallen silent, bereft of the familiar sounds from its neighbourhoods and streets.
However, amid this disquieting silence, a housing society in Oshiwara, Andheri (West) livens up with the strains of music thrice every week. As the music drifts through the air, residents of Shantivan housing society gather on their balconies, singing, waving and dancing to the tunes played by 48-year-old music therapist, Roshan Mansukhani.
In an attempt to ease the mental anxieties of Mumbaikars, Mansukhani has been conducting 30-minute music therapeutic sessions thrice every week from his balcony, ever since the lockdown was imposed in the state.
The 48-year-old says that a day before he performs live from his balcony, he takes requests from the residents of his housing society on its WhatsApp group. He goes live in the evening, with his musical console placed in his balcony, facing 94 flats of the housing society.
The residents of the flats join him from their flats, dancing, waving and showing solidarity by turning on their cell phones flashlights. "People are confined at home for more than two weeks now, and naturally, most of them are suffering from anxiety. I take these sessions so that people can unwind and feel at ease and realise that we are all in this together, and that this too shall pass," says Mansukhani, speaking to The Free Press Journal.
Mansukhani starts his session with the National Anthem and takes forward the session playing excerpts of the requested songs, which includes music from every genre and beat.
However he prefers to end the session with a soft sufi number and play as many simple song as he can in the session so that people can relate to the music.
As Mansukhani starts playing, people from not just his building, but groups of stranded labourers who have taken refuge in a camp beside the society, join the session waving with joy with their flashlights on. "This is a serious issue that we are facing right now. We all need to battle this together. My 30 minute drill is aimed at motivating people, making them smile and reminding them to make use of the session," Mansukhani says.
Sharing his experience of a near run-in with the police during one such session, Mansukhani says patrolling officers of the Mumbai Police arrived at the society on Thursday, stating that they had received a complaint. They attempted to discontinue the session in the middle.
However, all the residents of the building came down to the porch and convinced the police not to take action, saying that the sessions give them strength to cope with the lockdown. "This was one of the beautiful moments I have seen. The music united so many people that they went down and convinced the cops to allow us to continue the session," says Mansukhani.
