Before the Internet

Quite by chance, I stumbled upon, an old telephone book, and was instantly transported back to the days of yore, a world without the internet . Turning the pages, seeing the telephone numbers, five and six digits, neatly written by people, of people, now all mostly gone to the hither world, much like the dial up instruments we once used.

A time when private phones were scarce, the privilege of a few, a time of pay phones at the neighbourhood post office. A time when we knew from memory the numbers of those dear and near ,a time when we were smart and did not have ton rely on our smart phones. A time when we did not have to seek an appointment to call a friend, for help or to make plans for the weekend, a time when we could express our feelings vociferously, without depending on those characterless emojis.

Before the internet, time stood still, went by languidly. A time when days were long and idyllic, a time before the winds of change, when it was still a caressing breeze. A time when the fluttering leaves,were never in haste, but descended gracefully. A time before the storm clouds gathered, when it was still white and woolly, dancing in the blue skies, when Spring and Summer, seemed to last forever. A time when the slow afternoons were spent, chasing cars, and it was time well spent, if we counted more than one . It was a time before the ‘ self driving’ cars.

Before the internet, the games we played were all outdoors, flying paper kites, running with the Brahminy kites, romping in the fields, grazing our knees, singing with the birds, hopping with the frogs, terrifying the unsuspecting tadpoles, in muddy ponds, pursuing elusive butterflies, catching green grasshoppers and dragonflies, for entertainment . Oh it was a time of freedom and open spaces, when the air was clean and vitalising, when the nectar of wild flowers, was sweeter than honey, and the changing colours of chameleons, we found fascinating. A time before the ‘ Real Estate’ boom .

Before the internet, our choices were few , Natraj pencils were our good friends, Bata shoes our faithful companions, it was before Adidas and Jordans, ruled the world . A time when toys were limited, when X box and play stations were unknown, we played with sticks and stones, gilli danda and lagori . Wholesome, home cooked meals were our delicious fare, bondas, bhajis, fritters , our favourite fried tea time snacks, a time before ‘Keto’ entered our diet, and ‘ Gymming ‘ took centre stage. A time when market visits were common, the sights and smells new everyday, fresh vegetables and fruits stacked on high, in a splendid array of colour, their staggering heights defying gravity. A time before the apps, before the contactless home deliveries.

Before the internet, travelling was so simple, to call an agent for air, train or bus tickets, and hotels, a time before the laborious online bookings. A time when finding a location was to stop at every cross road, asking friendly pedestrians, eager to help with directions to any destination. Now we surrender to google maps, to a voice without a face, to lead us through confusing roads and alleys, at times, through near unnavigable lanes . Always with a smile, with a short cheerful exchange, we met people,at every street corner, a time when a friendly ‘ hello ‘ was a welcome greeting, and not considered a threat.

With technology advancing in leaps and bounds, we now live in the realm of the internet, a digital world, with no personal touch. Our identities a number, our details no longer private, floating in the virtual cloud, controlled by passwords and OTPs. A time when communication is fast but intimacy is lost, a time when family is at the end of a text, or a FaceTime call. A time when we share our lives with everyone, on social media, yet feel so lonely and alone. A time when’’Work’ is from home, when distances don’t matter, but disconnection is encouraged .

A time when the world has shrunk, borders are seamless, our horizons have grown,, and knowledge is at our fingertips. With the intermingling of cultures, our values changed, and we forgot our traditions. A time when relationships are not cherished, a time when self interest is uppermost , and a solitary lifestyle is not the exception, but the accepted norm . With our growing dependence on the phone, there is now a new term coined, ‘Nomophobia’ to describe the fear of being without a mobile. And somewhere along the way, we lost our faith in God and mankind, we lost the joy of simple living in fellowship with Him, and in harmony with our fellow men .