The old and the new cores

I write this wonderful piece of anecdote to summarise my observations about these wonderful years of existence as a human being on Mother India (satire)

--- I do remember my earlier days of living in remote corners of India..buzzing with age old traditions and customs like the regular "Namaste" to elders and likes..

This is the age of "Hello" and for short"Hi"


--- We had the customs of "Athithi Devo Bhava"..
Now the custom is for "Athithi jaldi jao bhava "..



--- As soon as a friend happens to reach for a get-together,we used to celebrate it with a cup of tea or coffee and some snacks and biscuits.We enquired about the well being of their parents and enquired about their healths.


Now is the age of "business"talks . We talk about "how much does you/me earn". In which company do we work and how is the business going like...or for that matter,where are we putting our latest investments..real estates,stocks or FD's



---Festivals were aperiod of celebrations in "traditional ways".New clothes(1 pair) were purchased for only such occasions and spending for sweets was noteworthy.The get togethers among colleagues,friends and neighbours were cherishing and momentous


Now the "jet age" has taken over the realms of most festivals. It has become secondary to another holiday to relax and done with...


--- It was a joy to go and meet friends in flesh and blood.The human touch was vehement and breathtaking , very real.The communication was more of feeling (with touch , presence and through the eyes)

This is the age of "Mobility". Everything gets addressed through "mobiles" and "e-mails". Social networking has a new paradigm - Facebook ,Orkut,Twitter and Linked IN
The human touch is vehementally missing to the core



--- As children , we were part of the abundant nature at will for most part of our younger days,whether it was climbing trees,trekking in wilderness,bold enough to steal and pluck fruits from neighbourhood,make honchos out of bushes,playing hide and seek among various buildings and the likes...

Now is the age of being "Indoors" and play those Indoor video games and computer networking games...the itellectual growth is okay..but EQ remains vulnerable
We are creating caricatures of "Robot" for the future


--- The pleasant mornings produced great moments of "carnatic and hindustani music",among the various temples and monumental places. The next door kiranas played effective morning ragas.The atmosphere would reverberate with soulful and ear pleasing music... Mother earth would radiate pleasant earthy smell and the flowers strewn among the tree bottoms exuded effervescence.


Times have changed now...morning chores are often forgotten among the jetsetting people,its just ..jet...set and go ...to the workplace with all broken customs as baggage



---Evenings was a time for gupshups(plain nonsense talk)...we remember the time when the atmosphere would reverberate with resounding laughter...talk non-sensically about everything under the sky.

Now the talks are vehementally missing or plain vanilla selfish talks..serious humorous touch are bygone..more business like and pretty formal(serious)


---We had some lovely joyrides on bicycles,rickshaws,bullockcarts,tractors,even horserides quite often during earlier days.Even plain walking for miles together was pleasant..


Now is the age of "Mobikes" and fancy"cars".You get a job and get one of those 2/4 legged ones for comfort in a jiffy...showing your unbridled status for egoistic mind.
Walking has become an uncalled sin and time waster..


---Shopping for goods was a "monthly once" or biweekly once activity. We used to make a list of things to be procured neatly written on a paper and stick by it while shopping.Bargaining was a "no-no",as the shopkeepers were just next door kiranas.Items were neatly wrapped in "newspaper" and handed over in a thali.Even payments were made at the end of the month only once. Bookkeeping was prominent and relation based on trust and loyality.


Nowadays "Malls" and "shopping centres" have become our second home. Splurge impulsively on anything under the sun,not based on practicality and purpose.
Think for pleasure of the moment and be done away with. Shopping has become an excuse for keeping household members happy for not spending time within..


---Singing was a custom for all occasions whether it was school get togethers , picnics,mohalla gatherings,occasions for festivals,marriages,engagements and the likes.. The songs were invariably chosen for the occasion,rehearsed umpteen times and sung with high notes and exuberance. Bakthi song would be first song sung to inaugurate any function..

Nowadays, the songs are all hip hop,music jittery for the ears, made alarming by the speakers with very high wattages ; dancing not in synch with the song(crude music) and out of favour for the occasion. More so with re-mixes ruling the roost,you never know,whether to stick with the original henceforth...


Life has become an inordinate struggle between the "old values/customs" or "uncompromising westernisation ".


May these changes bring about some sensible thinking on our part seriously, whether to embrace trash over pure heritage,customs and divine values


The stark contrast between the 3 bygone decades has brought about a profound mindset and cultural change among the old and younger generation. There has been a creation of paradigm shift in ideologies amongst us. Embracing the unknown is bringing disenchantment and discontentment for the older generation.

Wish the almighty that we do not get bogged down by all these pretentious but important issues and move forward to see our country in all its glory !!


Vande Mataram

Sd/-

Roohul Haq