Life through generations

When several aspects of today's lifestyle regarded as extravagances in the 1970s and were beyond the reach of the middle class families, I grew up in such an environment with pride enjoying life with the necessities available. I and my friends travelled daily by public transport buses to go to school and college later and also visited places in nook and corner of the city to meet relatives on holidays.

While on travel, we enjoyed every moment chatting and laughing all the time. The monthly bus pass priced reasonable coming in handy for our travels in the city was considered one of the prized possessions by me because it not only saved money but also spared me from bothering my parents every time for money. But after the invasion of household gadgets and gizmos into the middle class homes in the 90s and thereon, the lives of first young generation has changed drastically to a large extent. With access to bikes and smart phones and more money on hand coming easily, their outlook towards life changed further with chatting and e-mailing becoming the norm even as traditional letter writing have become passe.

Further, as I vividly recollect the typewriting institute located in a sylvan surrounding in my colony where I first started learning the rudiments of typing, my eyes brighten though later computer edged out the good old typewriter like what mobiles saw decline of landlines which was once a status symbol for those owning it.

Imagining the generation that got Independence, I feel proud that despite lack of comforts, they were out there fighting to make India free. While we got independence, I remember their sacrifices and feel thankful and happy that life during my generation was a better off as the nation was making rapid strides towards progress.

In this midst, I also proudly recall that how I eagerly looked forward every year to a major cricket tournament Moin-ud-dowla hosted by Hyderabad Cricket Association and played over for 18 days in Lal Bahadur Stadium. It was enjoyable watching star cricketeers playing exciting cricket on all the days18 days in the company of my friends. We clapped at every boundary and as well fall of wickets. Our favourite team was the one led by stylish batsman, the late M.L. Jaisimha, the darling of the sporting crowd.

Moreover, the fun-filled days watching matches every year till the late 1970s is deeply etched in my memory. Even now, whenever those glorious moments splash my mind, I feel really happy. Gone are those days with India now coming under the footprints of foreign channels and cable television, most watch sports from their drawing room. Even cinema which captured the imagination of cine-goers watching in a single theatre in the seventies and before has also lost its sheen in the peak of TV and mobile boom.

The only saving grace been the new swish multiplexes but these still not able to ignite and generate the same imagination and interest like what we saw and enjoyed movie in single theatres in the bygone days due to the present urban culture having undergone a new redefining lifestyle. In a nutshell, as today's youth brimming with false prestige and notion only believes in wasting time by reacting only to sensational news and thinks less for the larger good of the nation, it is time that he/she is reminded that living a superficial life only harms the society and country and therefore try to coax to engage his/her mind in productive and creative things to make the nation rich and oneself humble by making him understand "the way generations before lived to make country rich" in all aspects.