DOWN MEMORY LANE

BY: PRATHAM GOLCHA

As a kid who was born in the year 2001, I have had fond memories of some of the most fantastic things that life has had to offer. In the world of artificial intelligence, 24*7 internet, and all things digital, did you ever think of how far have you made it, irrespective of your age? Every generation has had to adapt to the current ideal and template of living, howsoever difficult or easy it might seem at the outset. Things were much simpler, less tension-free and more fun-loving when we were kids until a few years ago. I remember paying and getting a recharge done on my mother’s phone if I had to speak to my school friend in high school. We kids back then probably didn’t have a phone of our own (very few had the privilege of owning one for themselves solely), and the onus lies on using those Nokia phones of our parents, with a keen eye on the outgoing calls and messages with respect to the top-up deductions. As a kid in the third or fourth grade, I remember asking my parents for a beyblade as a birthday gift, simply because we had to play it on our tables in school. Some even remember those Ben 10 merchandise and WWE cards, a big hit back then. Our memories were sharper as well, when we had to recall and remember the phone numbers that had to be dialed on the landline, unlike now when the numbers were just a tap away. Then came the comics such as Amar Chitra Katha, Tinkle, Tintin which were a craze amongst us. I recall distinctly going to the library every week at the time of the period in school and get the series repeatedly issued, and read even while coming back home in the school bus. Nowadays, mobile phones and the internet have become so accessible that kids have virtually forgotten the smaller joys of life. Yes, GTA Vice City, Play Station and all those video games did exist back then as well, but I personally found joy in these simple games and plays. Who can forget the joy of owning a laptop or computer of your own at home, and those ‘legendary’ games of Super Mario, Solitaire, EA Sports cricket, etc. One of the fondest memories I can think about is about birthday parties, wherein having a return gift system would be a huge thing to show off! Owning pencil boxes, lovely pouches, stationery materials, Rubik’s cube, and the likes were such ego boosters for any birthday hosts. High-end birthday bashes at pubs, restaurants and malls cannot replicate the feeling of having a paper plate with some laddoos, a fringe piece of cake, some wafers and a handful of toffees. Ah, times were simple and so were the people. Simple joys of life inundated life like never before, and the satisfaction was unreal always. Who can actually forget the usage of CDs, and cassettes! Parents playing them on television every Sunday were an amazing way to boost the mood and set the mood. Moreover, the white PT shoes are such a nostalgia. I remember taking a chalk from the classroom and rubbing them in order to make them look cleaner every Wednesday and Saturday. Those black school shoes even smelled lovely, honestly! When it came to cars, I remember owning a Maruti 800 and thinking of being a celebrity of some sort. Shows like Shaktiman, Shaka Laka Boom Boom, Shararat, and cartoons such as Oswald, Thomas- the engine, Tellytubbies, etc. had an astonishing appeal to children of my age back then. Pokemon, Tom and Jerry were all as lovable to me as my parents or friends. In the era of ‘Netflix and chill’ now, those advertisements of a number of brands are still learnt by every word and singing tone. Whether washing powders or biscuits, every brand had an actual brand identity and reach to its target audience. These small joys of life are still in the memory fresh today because of the impact that they have had from the very beginning, it is nothing short of an imprint in the brain. Fast forward these days to the present moment and all I can think of is a hundred responsibilities, commitments and deadlines that I have to adhere to. The environment and space are completely different to what we as kids have gone through (with every generation it gets nostalgic in their own manner). Nonetheless, keeping these alive in the memory every now and then certainly transports one to the times back then, full of freshness of childhood and the innocence of love for people and things. Even loading sheddings used to be nothing short of an entertainment, rather than a complaint, with every moment savoured with games, entertainment and excitement. Those were the days!