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Wednesday 24 September 2014

Life then and now



Life is a song - sing it. Life is a game - play it. Life is a challenge - meet it. Life is a dream - realize it. Life is a sacrifice - offer it. Life is love-enjoy it.

   Many people ask me how was life fifty years ago and how was it different from life today. My reply to such queries is that life was simple as compared to life today. Today, due to advancement in science, life has become easier to live, in many ways, but as far as human relations are concerned, life has become more complicated. I will try to compare  the past and present, for the knowledge of the present generation..

Connectivity:-  In those days the main instrument for remaining in touch was a letter.We could send a letter through an  envelope and write as much as we liked.Through this envelope we could send letters within the country and abroad. This was the only mode of sending letters overseas. Short letters were sent by post cards, which were recently banned by the Govt.Telegrams also have been abolished because they have become redundant. SMS, and WhatsApp have
revolutionise the manner in which others can be contacted on minimum rates or even without any cost.
Telephones were available, but only for top govt. officers, For private connections the waiting list was ten to twelve years. I remember my father had a Govt. telephone, which was the only one available in that area. After my marriage, we booked a telephone which we got after waiting for ten years.Now landline phones have become out dated. Every body,has a mobile phone today. Even our sweeper has a mobile phone.  We can speak through 'Viber', 'Hang outs' free of charge to a person in any part of the world.
Transport:- There were very few cars. In India no cars were manufactured. It was in the  late 50s or early 60s that cars were assembled in India. The car which came to the market was Hindustan and then there was Maruti.
Since there were not many cars, there were almost no taxis. The public mode of transport were buses, tongas driven by horses, trams, and rickshaws.
Image result for images of tonga in olden days in delhi
A tonga

                                                                 
Image result for image of a tram in delhi in olden days
A tram 
Trains were the mode of transport from one city to other.The trains used to run through coal. After a long distance travel ,not only our clothes, even face, hands and hair looked black. From Delhi to Chennai, we had to travel two nights.  Air travel was much  beyond the capacity of ordinary people.There were no Private airlines.
Cooking:- Gas for cooking was unheard of. Cooking was done mainly by coal or timber. Very well to do families used kerosene stoves. Cooking gas was introduced in Delhi in the late 60s. 
                    Cooking was comparatively easier, because 'junk food' like noodles, burgers, pizzas etc were not known. These food items became popular in 70s and 80s. Ice Cream was not very popular. People made ice cream at home. Only one brand, Kwality, was introduced in late 60s. Coca Cola was first available in mid 60s and used to cost four annas ( equal to 25 paisa)
                       Imported items like cheese, biscuits,squashes, chocolates were available in large quantity in India in the 40s and early 50s.
Electric equipments :-  Very few equipments were available. For entertainment a large sized box 'radio', which was immovable was seen in well to do families. There were no advertisements in the electronic media. Transistors came much later. Radio Ceylon was a popular  channel for film songs. There was no Vividh Bharati. After the introduction of Vividh Bharati, film songs became very popular.

Image result for images of radio in olden days



  A gramaphone was popular for listening to music.  The records for playing music in the gramaphone were made of a particular type of glass.







   Transistors stormed the country with a bang. Every body was seen carrying one.  With the advent of television in mid  60s, a wave of excitement spread in Delhi. The programme was telecast for one hour every day. A hindi movie was telecast on Sundays,which was completed on four Sundays. 
                                        Human Nature was very simple those days. Because of so many diversions, people spend more time outside their homes.The love, affection,and good will is missing in life.Medical facilities were not as advanced as today.There was no treatment for terminally ill patientsColor TV can much later in 1982.
The world has come nearer. By just pressing a button you can have any thing in your house. No need to go to the market, the market comes to you.
The biggest and the most useful and liked equipment today is the internet. The world is now closer. With a click, one can reach any corner of the world.



Written for Write Tribe Pro Blogger Week 6  Day 53














                   
















11 comments:

  1. So much has change no..But you are so lucky to have seen the transformation and growth..no?

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    1. Thank you Naba Yes the change is always for the better.

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  2. So many things have changed, This post transported me to a life I have only read about. Nice read

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    1. Thank you Cynthia.I am glad that you liked the post.

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  3. Oh yes! Times have changed so much these past few decades. And you are lucky to see it all :)

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    1. Yes Shilpa, I have seen drastic changes in the very fabric of the society.

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  4. I remember my dad had a great collection of records... the big ones which sometimes we use to listen to. Yeah if I look into my childhood there were only two TV channels DD1 and DD Metro and the big landline phone with round dials!! How time flew

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    1. Thanks Tina. My post took you ti your past.

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  5. The only thing constant in life is change and it seems you have adapted well Usha. I remember too writing letters, often. I miss that as it was fun to open up a letter in the mail. Not the same feeling as email for sure. I am surprised, shocked even to hear the government is banning post cards! Wow! Why is that? A lot of tourists depend on post cards to write to people 'back home.' Thanks for sharing this memory-filled post. Hope you enjoyed writing it as much as I enjoyed reading it! :) <3

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  6. Loved the post!. Life you say was so simple. Choices were less and so life was uncomplicated.

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