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Morning Reflections

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by satchitananda, Feb 20, 2020.

  1. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    I am travelling by auto to work. Time around 6.15 a.m. The roads are empty and I notice stores on both sides of the road - yes, for once they are not obscured by multiple rows of vehicles stuck in a jam. I notice one particular shop and make a mental note to visit it one of these days. And then I notice another. Suddenly a thought occurs to me. I would have to ask Google uncle for the exact location to get to the first one.
    I don't know the 'relative' location of the shop to other shops or to known trees or other features. Once I come out of the first shop, I would be hard pressed to remember whether I have to go down the road or up to get to the next one. Google uncle ki jai!

    What I see whenever I go down a street are the glass facades with displays. - each a part of one chain or the other. Even the occasional 'non-chain' store looks the same. I don't even notice the name of the store. What ever happened to the 'character' of individual shops? One never needed to look at the board to figure out whether one was where one wanted to go. There was a distinct landmark for every shop. It was next to this shop, or that opposite that other store. There was this huge tree just outside this one. And what was more, shops stayed where they were for decades. There was no confusing them. Today one never realizes that a store has migrated until one goes looking for it and finds something else in its place.

    The joys of 'progress' and 'globalization', I suppose. Realization slaps my still somnolescent senses ... with the intensity of a wet cloth being hit across my face ..... change is the only unchanging reality of our existence.
     
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  2. sln

    sln Platinum IL'ite

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    Dear Satchi,
    Every shop had a distinct character and one could easily guide another for locating the shop .Things are changing-we are told that all the shops in Agra on the way should have uniform sign boards to Tajmahal courtesy trumps visit.
    Regards.SLN
     
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  3. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    That is ever so sad. That lack of uniformity and a sort of chaotic look is what is the original flavour of India. Why should we lose that for a Trump who visits one day in his lifetime? Also annoys me no end that he is having the 'wall' of his dreams being built in Ahmedabad to hide away the 'unsavoury' side of Indian life from him. The literal wall between the rich and the poor. Shame!
     
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  4. kkrish

    kkrish IL Hall of Fame

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    I am learning about the changes through your post.
    Changes are painful at first; then we get used to them.
     
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  5. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    Strangely enough, Kamala, it was nice to see all these new, swanky looking shops with branded goods when they made their first appearance. We saw it as 'progress' and of an 'opening up' of the Indian market. What makes me wonder is that we do not even notice the wiping out of an ethos until it hits you one fine day! The change is so insidious!

    The same applies when we walk a street everyday and one fine day, we realize that a building or an old house is not to be seen anywhere. It is difficult to remember where exactly it stood! There was a beautiful bungalow on a road in Pune. Everyday on my way to school in the school bus I could see the vineyards on their plot of land. I was in Std. X one day, when I suddenly realized that the vineyards had vanished. When I go to Pune now, I don't remember which bungalows stood on the plots of land on which now stand huge apartments. I remember each and every house in my mind, but not the plot on which they stood.
     
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  6. Srama

    Srama Finest Post Winner

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    Dear Satchi,

    This doesn't sound like the Bangalore I grew up in - but then I have been a witness to this change. I have had the pleasure of going "wow! What ever happened here!". Thankfully I must say though that the small mom and pop stores near where I grew up are still the same. It is .......coffee works for coffee powder, ....................stores for vegetables and emergency curds and ...................angadi for all groceries. I have had the pleasure of having my kids run to the corner store to get and oh, my favorite chudidhar shop is still intact. Next time around, i will take you around and get you a glimpse of the old world, what say?
     
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  7. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    Will definitely look forward to that, Sabitha!
     
  8. Balajee

    Balajee IL Hall of Fame

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  9. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    @Balajee, your response has not got posted.
     
  10. Balajee

    Balajee IL Hall of Fame

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    Satchi true. even non chain shops owned by individual entrepreneurs and not corporate tend to keep up with the corporate Joneses. The days of mom and pop stores which had an individual look and personal touch are almost over.,
     
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