There had been a lot of casualties with the advent of technology. And it has always been there. Like it comes in the song ‘Video killed the Radiostar’! Every time when something new comes, the old should die and make way. Some of them reinvent themselves, once again like the radio. But, the one I don’t anticipate to be reborn and mourn about is the letters. Written ones delivered by the Postal & Telegraphs.
Written letters always had a charm. They were somehow more personal than any of the communication tools that we have today. Including talking I mean. That’s because when you talk you cant take them back, but when you write, you can read it again and maybe then it strikes you odd that you have written something you should not have. This is true for even today’s written communications. Mails, Chats or SMS.But even in them, there is an issue, there is an easy ‘send’ button and you send it just like that.
Letters were not like that. Firstly, it was handwritten most times. So, however silly it may appear, as it comes in the old Tamil Movies, you can see the face in the middle of the letter in watermark. There was always surely that great feeling.Then you could always carry a letter with you. Maybe in the pocket and keep reading them again and again.
And the greatest about them was the time lag. From writing to reading! And the anticipation of receiving them! You always somehow knew that letter was going to be there that day. Maybe your hunch or a definite past frequency would give that feeling.
Whenever I see these war movies, in which soldiers in the front, taking out a badgered letter again and again I used to feel so melancholic.
My father used to write to us. He had a peculiar handwriting. The words were placed close to each other and cursive. He was always to the point and there weren’t many expressions of what he really felt in those letters. But somehow for us, we could see him, his care and his face in those letters. There was a formal opening we had for him (Thendam samarpivitha vignabanam). And again always to the point just trading information!
One of his friends in the bank he worked also happened to become friends with my two elder brothers. And he was such a nice man, that he will use 3 different Inland letters separately addressed to the 3 of them, but write the letter with a carbon copy. : ))
My association with the post offices were also very many. First was when I had a friend in the college who was from a different town. So, all the holidays, it was writing each other for us. Almost with clockwork precision there will be letters every alternate day. On some occasions, a reply being written, right there at the post office.
Then the next was when I was hunting for a job. Applications sent everyday and replies expected. I used to walk across to the main post office where they sort the letters, because the restless was so high to find a job.
And then when the job was as a Medical Rep, with reports to be sent everyday (I didn’t send them so was a different story), but more importantly the salary and expenses cheques were sent by post and that was always a chase, with money running atleast 7 days before its next due.
And the most famous letters of my life, 3 of them precisely from me and one as a reply from her!! Even after we started courting, I somehow never let the habit of writing to her, and there will be plenty of them that I would not only write but also deliver myself as a postman. : ))
I still have them all with me. As a big bunch saved for 18 years now, but honestly some of them are very embarrassing to read now. : )) Maybe when we have a fight, we should pick them up and read.
After that, the age of letters was dead. Never had the opportunity to write or receive them. Surely atleast the postal ones were dead. Some were still delivered by couriers. But they were mostly commercial ones, at office and gradually it became only credit card statements and other bills, which anyway I didn’t want to receive.
I don’t know whether it is part of aging that I am getting nostalgic about stuff like letters; why don’t know, I am sure it is. But not aging of the person, aging of the technology!!
You always look forward for improvements in what you have, but later start to ruminate about what we had in the past. Only when things go off use or your hand, you start missing them.
Written letters always had a charm. They were somehow more personal than any of the communication tools that we have today. Including talking I mean. That’s because when you talk you cant take them back, but when you write, you can read it again and maybe then it strikes you odd that you have written something you should not have. This is true for even today’s written communications. Mails, Chats or SMS.But even in them, there is an issue, there is an easy ‘send’ button and you send it just like that.
Letters were not like that. Firstly, it was handwritten most times. So, however silly it may appear, as it comes in the old Tamil Movies, you can see the face in the middle of the letter in watermark. There was always surely that great feeling.Then you could always carry a letter with you. Maybe in the pocket and keep reading them again and again.
And the greatest about them was the time lag. From writing to reading! And the anticipation of receiving them! You always somehow knew that letter was going to be there that day. Maybe your hunch or a definite past frequency would give that feeling.
Whenever I see these war movies, in which soldiers in the front, taking out a badgered letter again and again I used to feel so melancholic.
My father used to write to us. He had a peculiar handwriting. The words were placed close to each other and cursive. He was always to the point and there weren’t many expressions of what he really felt in those letters. But somehow for us, we could see him, his care and his face in those letters. There was a formal opening we had for him (Thendam samarpivitha vignabanam). And again always to the point just trading information!
One of his friends in the bank he worked also happened to become friends with my two elder brothers. And he was such a nice man, that he will use 3 different Inland letters separately addressed to the 3 of them, but write the letter with a carbon copy. : ))
My association with the post offices were also very many. First was when I had a friend in the college who was from a different town. So, all the holidays, it was writing each other for us. Almost with clockwork precision there will be letters every alternate day. On some occasions, a reply being written, right there at the post office.
Then the next was when I was hunting for a job. Applications sent everyday and replies expected. I used to walk across to the main post office where they sort the letters, because the restless was so high to find a job.
And then when the job was as a Medical Rep, with reports to be sent everyday (I didn’t send them so was a different story), but more importantly the salary and expenses cheques were sent by post and that was always a chase, with money running atleast 7 days before its next due.
And the most famous letters of my life, 3 of them precisely from me and one as a reply from her!! Even after we started courting, I somehow never let the habit of writing to her, and there will be plenty of them that I would not only write but also deliver myself as a postman. : ))
I still have them all with me. As a big bunch saved for 18 years now, but honestly some of them are very embarrassing to read now. : )) Maybe when we have a fight, we should pick them up and read.
After that, the age of letters was dead. Never had the opportunity to write or receive them. Surely atleast the postal ones were dead. Some were still delivered by couriers. But they were mostly commercial ones, at office and gradually it became only credit card statements and other bills, which anyway I didn’t want to receive.
I don’t know whether it is part of aging that I am getting nostalgic about stuff like letters; why don’t know, I am sure it is. But not aging of the person, aging of the technology!!
You always look forward for improvements in what you have, but later start to ruminate about what we had in the past. Only when things go off use or your hand, you start missing them.
3 comments:
I personally am very fond of letter writing and still remember those old days when we had the pen and paper letters circulating. I mean they have a kind of romance, an old world charm associated with them which emails could never capture. Emails are the vehicles of modern age, the language favoured is short, crispy and businesslike, the content sharp and to the point. This might be a very effective communication tool, but where is the romance, the charm? Where is the leisure? I miss my letter writing days, honestly.
I am afraid that what i wrote in one of my earlier postings , about my being not much of a writer , is actually true. As a child I hated writing letters , and still do.. but yes, I do agree that reading a letter , and re-reading a particularly intersting or special one , is a great pleasure to be had!!
//gradually it became only credit card statements and other bills, which anyway I didn’t want to receive. //
As pointed out the letters (aka statements) we receive today are beautifully printed but irritates to the core. Even sweet voices gently reminding us about due dates are also irritating.
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