Laughter Yoga Club Disturbing neighbours in India

Mumbai:  High Court has ordered members of a 'laughter yoga' club to restrain their joy. The judges have told local police officers to find a way for the local residents of a Mumbai suburb to have the last laugh in a long running legal battle over whether the sound of laughter amounts to "aural aggression".

The case was brought by 78 year old lawyer Vinayak Shirsat and his family after an informal yoga club started meeting in a lakeside gazebo by their bungalow.


They complained that between 10 and 30 devotees gathered outside their house every morning at 6am and started singing devotional songs, clapping and exhorting one another to laugh out louder.


According to their lawyer, Veena Thadani, it is no laughing matter. "It's true that laughter is contagious, but if 30 people laugh every day in your window and you wake up to the sound of this cacophony you do not start laughing. They encourage each other to laugh louder – 'laugh through your belly! Laugh through your eyes! Laugh through your ears!' they shout," she said.

She also said - "It's aural aggression. You can't be forced to hear sounds you don't want to hear. Everyone is miserable because these activities are outside their home every day. What if you want to get up late or you're not feeling well? They're still waking you up with this cackling,"