Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Daakiya aaya!!! (The postman's here!!!)

For those who have been fed to quite a diet of Hindi programmes based in an era gone by... or may be languishing in some remote corner of the country... this cry of a child would be quite familiar.

There was a time when e-mails and telephones were not part and parcel of our daily existence. It was during those times (read: a few thousand yrs) that the hand written letter was what carried the words from one person to another over distant lands. There have been other modes of communication but more of that later. So this snail mail was what people used to look forward to when they had someone close staying far away from them. It was during times like these, that children used to look forward to the postman. Because that meant a letter, a smile on someone's face.... The range of emotions that a postman or may be one can say a snail mail could cause has oft been chronicled but I suppose it's full import can only be experienced. So, I was saying, this snail mail business was so important at one time. I mean, like we grew up with snail mail. I still remember exchanging letter every month with my first cousin Rima for nearly four years on the trot, till we passed out of school. After that....

After that it was the e-mail and phone calls!! That's the beautiful truth for everyone. Or is it really beautiful. Though we've learnt to accept those e-mails in lieu of the hand-written letter, does it really convey the same message? Can someone tell me why do people still their love letters and send them via mail of hand over personally, rather than an e-mail or phone call??

The reason is simple. "Elementary, my dear Watson", is how Holmes would have said. The import and feelings conveyed by the hand-written letter is way too personal. It somehow allows one to peek into the heart of the person who wrote you that letter.

Sadly enough, the snail mail is losing importance. I mean, I don't remember the last time I received one, except for the greetings cards and stuff like that... I'm talking of letters!! I don't remember the last time I sent one.

So what do you say?? Wanna write a letter.... may be to the person you go back to everyday!!

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The post was in reponse to David Mcmahon's post on snail mail.

Trivia: Here is a link to the history of Indian Postal Service

14 comments:

david mcmahon said...

Bravo Sam,

You really sent me on a nostalgic journey there. In boarding school, letters were oour onlycontact with our family for nine months every year.

Very precious memories indeed ....

Cheers

David

Anonymous said...

Sam sir, Have you seen Rajesh Khanna s some movie song where he sings "Dakiya daak laya"..........

fun apart, good insights....

Sam said...

Hi David,

Thanx a lot!! Really loved your words of appreciation!!
Indeed at times letters to send us on a nostalgic journey!!

Cheerio
Sam

Sam said...

Ashu..

can't say i have... but gud to see you!! how r u doing?

Cheerio
Sam

Prachi said...

hi sam

i remember the last letter i wrote....
it was on rakhi....i had sent a handwritten letter with rakhis, and roli chaawal. :)
however the last letter i recieved was years back....when my cousin had replied tht he had recieved the rakhi and tht i shd better not expect for any gifts. :D.....

nothing can replace the magic of handwritten letters. :)

nice post

prachi

IncorrigibleV said...

great post yaar...
hmm abt the last letter i wrote it was sometime in may the one that i posted (pratham's bday) and now recently for all the cards and stuff i wrote lil notes on two cards...and the last one i received was again recent, a card with loads of msgs for my bday and a letter from supriya...she always writes me a letter for my bday :)
and i swear i preserve all the birthday msgs and stuff, its so good to read em after long...snail mail ought to be treasured.

Keshi said...

I still love receiving hand-wriiten letters and greeting cards thru the post. Nothing can match the excitement u get from em!

Lovely nostalgic post...


Keshi.

Occasional Brilliance said...

i still write long long long letter to ppl and they think im mad... its just that i like it that it is personal... n nt somethin that is so electronic n mechanical... if u gt my drift...

Sam said...

Hi Prachi!!
Gud to see u!! well... i think all bros are like that :P
cheerio
sam

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hey vands
dats a lovely habit u got der.. i mean yrs later u can actually fondly take them out and read them thru... and take a trip down memory lane!!
cool!!
cheers
sam

Sam said...

hey Keshi,
ur absolutely right!! nothing can match their essence... though frankly.. mine well they are mostly greetings and b'day cards.. no letters as such!!
cheers
sam

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hi mann,
hmm.... now dats an interesting habit!! and nopes ur not mad.. i can understand exactly wot u r trying to say... and i definitely agree with you!!
cheers
sam

The 'Mad' Orchid said...

Hey this post is actually cho chweet..reminded me of a literary piece i read in Class 11 "The Art Of Letter Writing"..seriously the gizmic communicative systm has totally detoriated the hand written letter systm..wouldnt say fully bt actly u tend to become slave of these gizmos soon enough u cn take my exmple for instance..but im really thankful to my lil bro who writes me long letters n sends me hand made cards from his hostel n in way to reply him i too write back letters n send him those hand printed cards n beleieve me the joys r no bound whn i receive letters from him or vice versa,as indid in Raksha bandhan :D so thxs 2 him the spirit of letter writng is alive is fully alive n wil b in me alwyz...:D
hey thxs buddy for such an informatve post :) u did alwyz hai na mr intellectual ;)

Sameera Ansari said...

Hmm took me back to those good old childhood days when the "tring tring" of the postman's cycle would make me run to the gate :)

Sam said...

Hey Mads,
I'm ok with taking on a trip like this one.. but what's with the Mr Intellectual????? Grrrr....
lolzz.... anywyz...
Cheers
Sam

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Hey Sameera
I'm glad to take you on that trip. let me know when you want to again!! :)
Cheers
Sam

The 'Mad' Orchid said...

Why didnt u like it...this is nt the first time im addressin tht way iam...hehe... :) tke it re compli hai khaa le..no re truly..:) u desrve it n stop growling...:P