Its time we started realising that there needs to be an epitaph for enjoying Indian festivals. The dangerous and ominous trends are there for everybody to see. First and foremost, I am not saying that we do not enjoy. What I want to point out, the fun quotient is becoming less and less.
Indian Festivals are a big family affair. Its one of the rare occasions where we get to meet everybody from our family and close friends. Catch up on the gossip and the general happenings. Add to it the colors and the sparkles of festivals and you get a complete 360 degree view of what being an Indian means. Not long ago, as a kid, we used to make our own festival cards. Occasionally, help our mothers and grandmothers with sweets and of course, munch half of them. And these festivals meant business as well. We would be setting up our own stalls of crackers and asking friends to look after them. It also meant a lot of cleaning and doing a lot of shopping. We used to go to these saree shops where my aunts would get themselves draped in these zillions and colors. Under the careful eyes of the elders, we sang, dance and enacted plays on stage. The world was a big place then. Meeting people in person was very exciting.
The present looks so impoverished. The personal touch has diminished, if not gone completely. There are lesser people to meet and more of excuses. The cooking is now purchases off the shelf and the stalls of crackers have slowly disappeared. Cards are now replaced by messages(colorful though!) to people unknown on Facebook walls and other social media. Talking is replaced by chatting to people on the net or making phone calls. Recently, I met a friend after a long time. There was so much to talk about. and both of us were aware that we had limited time. I can only say that we managed to barely scrap the surface of all the topics.
Progress is also a persuasion to change of lifestyle. As humans, we give importance to efficiency and as such customs will naturally wither away. With the future more gadgetized and uncertain, the communication is likely to drop in value. As time would be precious, the meeting methods would change. Probably, in a coming few years, we would be meeting virtually inside each others houses. Its also exciting times as many things could be accomplished within a given small time frame. Ideas would be stored and calibrated and not forgotten. However, the relation of technology, culture and lifestyle would definitely be non linear. To ask in the end, I am sure I would be making videos of what I enjoy now. Maybe, it will be a treat to watch in the years to come.
Happy Dussehra to All !
Indian Festivals are a big family affair. Its one of the rare occasions where we get to meet everybody from our family and close friends. Catch up on the gossip and the general happenings. Add to it the colors and the sparkles of festivals and you get a complete 360 degree view of what being an Indian means. Not long ago, as a kid, we used to make our own festival cards. Occasionally, help our mothers and grandmothers with sweets and of course, munch half of them. And these festivals meant business as well. We would be setting up our own stalls of crackers and asking friends to look after them. It also meant a lot of cleaning and doing a lot of shopping. We used to go to these saree shops where my aunts would get themselves draped in these zillions and colors. Under the careful eyes of the elders, we sang, dance and enacted plays on stage. The world was a big place then. Meeting people in person was very exciting.
The present looks so impoverished. The personal touch has diminished, if not gone completely. There are lesser people to meet and more of excuses. The cooking is now purchases off the shelf and the stalls of crackers have slowly disappeared. Cards are now replaced by messages(colorful though!) to people unknown on Facebook walls and other social media. Talking is replaced by chatting to people on the net or making phone calls. Recently, I met a friend after a long time. There was so much to talk about. and both of us were aware that we had limited time. I can only say that we managed to barely scrap the surface of all the topics.
Progress is also a persuasion to change of lifestyle. As humans, we give importance to efficiency and as such customs will naturally wither away. With the future more gadgetized and uncertain, the communication is likely to drop in value. As time would be precious, the meeting methods would change. Probably, in a coming few years, we would be meeting virtually inside each others houses. Its also exciting times as many things could be accomplished within a given small time frame. Ideas would be stored and calibrated and not forgotten. However, the relation of technology, culture and lifestyle would definitely be non linear. To ask in the end, I am sure I would be making videos of what I enjoy now. Maybe, it will be a treat to watch in the years to come.
Happy Dussehra to All !
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