While going through the Sunday edition of The Hindu newspaper, I came across a short piece in the supplementary pages that, like many times before, made me pause and reflect. In the searing summer heat, it nudged me to think differently. The theme of the article was chosen with great care and presented with striking eloquence. Titled “Silence in the Room” and written by Anna Mariya Joseph, it was a poignant exploration of a deeply entrenched social phenomenon.

Immersing myself in her writing, I gleaned several valuable lessons—insights that resonated profoundly with me, even within the limits of my understanding. While I won’t delve into all of them here, a few lines are too powerful not to mention. She writes:
“There is a particular kind of silence that sits heavy in Indian homes. It is the silence that knows something is wrong but does not have the courage to name it. It is the silence that grows thicker at dinner tables, in curt nods, in the brushing off of tears with a quick nod.”
These lines echo within us. Indeed, there exists a paradoxical, deafening silence in our homes and lives—a silence that no one dares to break. When someone does try, it often appears absurd, even unsettling. Anna Mariya captures this further:
“In our households, there is no space for sadness that lingers. One may cry when a relative dies, but crying in the middle of a regular day is treated with suspicion. The idea that someone could be sad without a visible reason feels absurd. And so, it begins, the great hiding, the act of tucking away sorrow like a shameful object, behind half-closed doors and fake smiles.”
That final sentence sums up our societal condition with brutal precision. We are taught not to express what the world doesn't want to hear. We wear fake smiles like armour. But why? Why is silence so widespread and unshakable? What forces us into this invisible prison?
Here are some reflections on the causes of this sorrowful silence:

A Conservative and Judgemental Society

In our culture, expressing emotions—especially sadness or vulnerability—is often ridiculed. Crying is seen as weakness, speaking your heart is labeled dramatic, and the default expectation is stoicism. Caught between judgment and expectation, we choose silence. When there is no one to confide in, the weight of unspoken emotions becomes unbearable. The silence turns from refuge to curse.

Deteriorating Mental Health

In a world that moves at an unforgiving pace, many feel stranded and detached. There is a void that no material possession can fill. Years of emotional neglect, unaddressed trauma, and relentless pressure numb the human mind. Silence becomes the coping mechanism—not because it's healing, but because the wounds are too raw to articulate. To speak is to relive pain. So, we stay silent.

Social Isolation in a Crowded World

We are more connected than ever before—and yet, we feel more alone. In crowds, people feel empty. Surrounded by noise, we find no one who truly listens. Social interactions become performances. Genuine sharing and caring vanish, replaced by pretension and superficiality. The isolation is not physical; it is spiritual. The silence grows deeper.

Self-Delusion and the Myth of Independence

In the pursuit of individual success and dominance, we’ve forgotten that life is a shared experience. In turning away from others, we’ve turned away from ourselves. We’ve boarded the ship of solitude and abandoned the vessel of community. The result? A nation of silenced voices. A people unable to speak their truth—even to those they love.
As a human being, I feel this silence deeply. I long to speak, to connect, to share joy and pain alike. But the growing void between us has closed the windows of dialogue. And now, all that’s left is silence staring us in the face.
Silence, silence, and more silence—that’s what we now possess. And yet, no one asks: Why is everyone so silent? This silence kills us quietly, brushing away tears with mechanical nods. And this, tragically, has become our lasting inheritance.

A Call to Break the Silence

Why can’t we break this dreadful silence? A heartfelt greeting, a kind word, a genuine inquiry about someone’s well-being can go a long way. Sharing tears, listening without judgment, singing the sorrows of the soul—these are not weaknesses, they are remedies.
Let us not choose life-threatening silence.
Let us not become Shakespeare’s dumb cuckoo or Hughes’s absent goldfinch.
Let us not reduce Shelley’s skylark to a textbook topic.
Let us, instead, draw inspiration from John Donne, who urged us not to fear mourning, and Pablo Neruda, who taught us to pause, reflect, and reconnect.
Let us count to twelve—and then begin the work of dismantling this wall of silence.
We have miles to go before we sleep.
We have voices to hear—and voices to raise.
So, like Robert Frost, let’s talk in a human voice.
Like Oliver Goldsmith, let us reconnect through sincerity and simplicity.
Let us promise to speak—today, and every day.
Let us pledge: No more silence. Not in our hearts, not in our homes.

Email:-------------------syedmustafaahmad9@gmail.com