Once Upon a Time; Of Posts

Once upon a time, there was an age of when letters, postcards, telegrams and greeting cards. They reigned as an empire. They hailed from borders by a soldier to his family about this empowering homesickness and intended date of arrival, from a daughter giving news to her family about her well being at her in-laws place, from a lover to his beloved saying ‘You are special’; yearning to meet her and a letter from a child staying at boarding asking for money.

Postman was considered an auspicious messenger and hardly a day would go by without him bringing a cream-colored postcard or folded inland letters and dropping them at the address they carried. Greeting cards gilded with illustrations and drawings fetched smiles and exuberance like ‘Wishes on New Year’, ‘Get well soon’ and expressive cards like ‘I miss you’ were posted.

Alas! They are abandoned. Emails, SMS, telephonic calls and private courier are in vogue. Although, communication is done within seconds, but devoid of feeling and flavor. Letters and telegrams carried supple emotions, lucidity in expression and dealt with euphony and embracing arms. Arrival of a letter stirred the whole family and met with repeated recitations. They were considered sacred, sublime and preserved securely. Personal letters were read again and again in secrecy, hugged and kissed by the beloved with coyness. Songs ruled the radio and black and white television sets like ‘Chithi aii hai’ (The letter has come); ‘Chithi na koi sandesh’; (Neither a letter nor any information) and ‘Aayegi zaroor Chithi’ (The letter will come).

Posts indeed had a more of an intimate texture, person took time and wrote specifically for. Inspite, of being short and succinct they carried the plethora of detail. While the exchange of messages today are deficient of that coziness and proximity. They are meant only for the sake of work and business transactions and done without an effort; with the click of the mouse without the need to walk to the post office and dropping in the post box. Efforts are reduced and so is the elucidation. Post cards would be stacked at the desolated end in the post office profuse holding a musky smell and post boxes wearing a dilapidated look.