ALL THESE THINGS.....

There was a time when we did not have TVs. We lived and lived well..Then the TV came to India (sometime around 1965-66). There used to be only one channel (Doordarshan) and the trnsmission was in black and white. Only New Delhi had TV, then Bombay (I refuse to call the city Mumbai). The last programme was 10pm news in English. On Saturdays we had Chitrahaar and on Sundays we had a movie. Once a week we had a programme called Fire Ball XL5, a futuristic series. Once a week we had Lucille Ball entertaining us and I loved that show. Then of-course we had the regular Krishi Darshan which we did not understand anything about. I still don't understand what is Kharif ki fasal (???).

We kids used to look at the top of the neighbourhood homes to see which one had an antena. Once we spotted the antena, we would simply walk up to the home, take off our shoes at the door, say Namaste Uncle or Aunty and place ourselves on any square foot of space available on the floor in front of the TV. Knowing the family was not important. The hosts were always generous and never refused entry, even if they had a house full of unknown kids.

Indians like all humanity went on an aquisition trail. After TV came color TV, then tape recorders, then stereos, then computers, then TV had 50 channels, then CDs came then VCD players and then DVD players, then mobile phones and now 3G and what have you...

And now we have the Blackberry and iPod, iPad and iTab.

I must admit that my life has become much more relaxed and convenient because of all the gadgets. I am 53, and I am in touch with work even while I am at the golf course.

Some of my friends lament the loss of simple and good old times when we did not have "All These Things" and were still happy!

I am celebrating the present and "All These Things" and the other wonders that humans will bring in the future so that I can enjoy life and live every moment more than the last one....

Happy Vaisakhi and Happy Every Day of The Rest of Your Life...Enjoy all these things...