Mysuru: The ringing of the doorbell normally announces the arrival of a person. The present day doorbells also have catchy tunes. Could this common device be used for something more useful? Yes, if you are a conscientious public servant.

This is exactly what the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat (ZP) and Mysuru’s own Dr. M.R. Ravi has done by a simple innovation of fixing the doorbells with the Swachh Bharat jingle and trying to create awareness among the people about the importance of cleanliness.

He has composed a jingle with the cleanliness awareness message and this unique catchy jingle has gone viral on YouTube and social media. Not satisfied with the popularity of the jingle, Dr. Ravi was thinking of how this message could reach the people. He then hit upon an idea of incorporating the Swachh Bharat tune in the calling bells. He discussed this idea with Manjunath Bhandary, Chairman, Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management, Mangaluru, when he had gone as a chief guest during one of the functions at the College.

Bhandary, who was impressed with the idea of Dr. Ravi, discussed it with his Professors in the College and agreed to incorporate the tune in the calling bell. They showed the bell with the Swachh Bharat tune to Dr. Ravi. He immediately installed the bell with the jingle in nine chambers of his office.

Once, the idea gained popularity, he chose Kallige in Bantwal for the pilot project. The village consists of 1,127 houses and out of this, 1,123 houses, which have electricity connections, were fixed with doorbells having Swachh Bharat jingle.  Sahyadri College and Ramakrishna Ashrama have taken up the responsibility of implementing this pilot project.

Since the Government does not have to spend any money on the project, Dr. Ravi has decided to write to the Government to implement it in all the villages of the district, as it has been a success.  

Each doorbell costs Rs. 450. However, if it is produced in large quantity then the cost will come down, feels Dr. Ravi.

2.48 minute jingle

The Swachh Bharat jingle tune is of 2.48-minute duration. In order not to affect the continuity in the tune, it has been divided into four stages. The first ring Pallavi is for 24 seconds, the second one Charana for 28 seconds, the second Charana is for 32 seconds and the last Pallavi is for 42 seconds.

The music for the jingle, composed by Dr. M.R. Ravi, is scored by Mangaluru Akashavani’s Rafiq Khan. Student Kirthan Holla has melodiously sung the song.

Gist of the song: The gist of the jingle to create awareness about keeping the country clean is penned by Dr. Ravi in five stanzas. The first stanza gives the call to people to keep the District shining like the Sun. The second talks about the problems of open defecation that women face in the country and the third calls for building toilets. The fourth asks the public to create a plastic-free district and to segregate dry and wet waste apart from highlighting about environment consciousness. The last stanza appeals to the people to cultivate cleanliness as a culture.