Maybe I have reached an age, when all things old seem gold.Though all we had were very simple,every little piece of plaything was shared.There were not too many toys or books to hold on to.No competition to possess more-the whole neighbourhood was one big home.All of us played together and there was an unwritten code-all of us returned home by dusk.There were no TVs, nobody instructed us to study.But we did settle down with our homework,finished that in a jiffy and maintaining the same postures,shared silly jokes,giggled ,made merry till dinner time.After dinner,we went early to bed,listening to soft music from the huge Radio in one corner of the room.Aah,what days!
Roads wore a deserted look by 7 PM.Most of the 9 to 5 job men would by then have returned home.Children also settled to their day to day routine, after tiring themselves out running and playing on the roads.Elders went about their chores quietly.Very little traffic on the roads and so the evenings were calm. There were few shops- I remember Chatterji dokan (shop)with all our needs -pencils,erasers sharpeners etc, Lala's shop selling groceries,a bookshop with a grandiose name National Library,the dhobi's shop ever busy.For all other major needs was Lake Market.We were all very contented with these simple outlets,which catered to all our necessities.We did venture a little farther on occasions to Rash Behari Avenue with big shops,Desha priya Park Hawker's corner with its small stalls,fulfilled our desire for "shopping".When I walk up and down malls now,not satisfied the least with the multi various products offered with so much glitter,I remember the thrill the pencils and erasers of uncle Chatterji's dokan brought us. The borrowed books at the wayside stall Dakshini,where we deposited a rupee in the morning to take with us four books(!!) ,to stealthily pore over them during the boring classes at college and return them on the way back ,can Kindle hold a candle to that?Many a times Dakshini kaka waved us off without taking that rupee!The poori baaji at the college canteen,the Coke we bought with students' concession(!!)How we gathered at the lawns of the college,discussed various topics,the laughter and mirth! Film stars and Binaca geetmala were top on our lists. Nothing can bring all that back.
Times have changed.Everything is available in abundance.People have money to blow.Children are born into an atmosphere of luxury,achieving mastery over electronic products and due to the tremendous challenges they face in life,they are super smart.They cannot be otherwise or else they will be left far behind in the race of life.There are no more neighbourhood kakas or chachas to protect and pamper them,for they are also running in the race,slightly behind the youngsters because their world was less competitive and so they are now struggling.The golden old timers have been left far behind.They just limp slowly to somehow reach the destination (where is it? how long yet?)But their hearts are filled with gratitude for having been granted a glorious childhood and adolescence,which has now prepared them to trudge along their paths slowly but steadily.
Roads wore a deserted look by 7 PM.Most of the 9 to 5 job men would by then have returned home.Children also settled to their day to day routine, after tiring themselves out running and playing on the roads.Elders went about their chores quietly.Very little traffic on the roads and so the evenings were calm. There were few shops- I remember Chatterji dokan (shop)with all our needs -pencils,erasers sharpeners etc, Lala's shop selling groceries,a bookshop with a grandiose name National Library,the dhobi's shop ever busy.For all other major needs was Lake Market.We were all very contented with these simple outlets,which catered to all our necessities.We did venture a little farther on occasions to Rash Behari Avenue with big shops,Desha priya Park Hawker's corner with its small stalls,fulfilled our desire for "shopping".When I walk up and down malls now,not satisfied the least with the multi various products offered with so much glitter,I remember the thrill the pencils and erasers of uncle Chatterji's dokan brought us. The borrowed books at the wayside stall Dakshini,where we deposited a rupee in the morning to take with us four books(!!) ,to stealthily pore over them during the boring classes at college and return them on the way back ,can Kindle hold a candle to that?Many a times Dakshini kaka waved us off without taking that rupee!The poori baaji at the college canteen,the Coke we bought with students' concession(!!)How we gathered at the lawns of the college,discussed various topics,the laughter and mirth! Film stars and Binaca geetmala were top on our lists. Nothing can bring all that back.
Times have changed.Everything is available in abundance.People have money to blow.Children are born into an atmosphere of luxury,achieving mastery over electronic products and due to the tremendous challenges they face in life,they are super smart.They cannot be otherwise or else they will be left far behind in the race of life.There are no more neighbourhood kakas or chachas to protect and pamper them,for they are also running in the race,slightly behind the youngsters because their world was less competitive and so they are now struggling.The golden old timers have been left far behind.They just limp slowly to somehow reach the destination (where is it? how long yet?)But their hearts are filled with gratitude for having been granted a glorious childhood and adolescence,which has now prepared them to trudge along their paths slowly but steadily.
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