If you're a 90s kid...
Try to remember those days when you'd accompany your parents to your regular grocery store, and the shopkeeper would ask, "Beta, kaise ho?"
Or when you'd go to the store alone more than once, the shopkeeper would inquire about your mom's well-being with a caring, "Beta, aaj maa nahi aayi? Tabiyet toh theek hai?"
If you accompanied your parents frequently, the shopkeepers would even learn about your favorite treat and hand it to you with a smile while leaving the shop. What a delight!
Remember how you had a handful of mithai (sweets) shops in your neighborhood, especially the one close to your house? There were fewer choices and less confusion. If the sweets weren’t fresh, the shopkeeper would honestly let you know and suggest another option. Here is a picture of my friend Divij's sister and mum. Divij recently shared a beautiful experience from his childhood on his social media account and I couldn't help but share it because I am sure you would relate to it.
Don't get me started on the Ganpati decorations. Remember how you would help families on all floors with the Ganpati decoration and perform Aarti in batches at everyone's houses?
Diwali was pure bliss! Friends would help each other with rangoli. We’d compete to be the first to burst a cracker on the first day of Diwali. Remember the sutli bomb, rocket, saap-goli, and the never-ending cracker that started from the gate of the building and ended at the third building? Families would visit each other and exchange faraal (Diwali delicacy) and laughter.
What fun and such beautiful memories! Our social game was always strong, even when we didn't realize it.
Do you remember the dance performances and fancy dress competitions that would happen in each building on 31st December every year? I remember dressing up as a Bhaaji wali, Macchi wali, and Khushi (Kareena Kapoor) from the movie Khushi. Lol. Those claps and appreciation from all the uncles and aunties is pure nostalgia.
Almost every birthday plate would have the same format. Those wafers stuck on the cake, and a bit of cream stuck on the samosas, and then the cold drinks. Such simple celebrations but we would be equally excited for everyone's birthday.
The florist from whom you'd collect pooja flowers, garlands, durva, and all your pooja items would soon learn about your favorite flowers for your god. What a beautiful social relationship!
If any of these familiar faces saw you in the vegetable market or anywhere else, they'd always recognize you, stop, and chat for a while. These days when you step outside, does anyone other than your friends really recognize you? We should give it a thought.
As life progressed, we stopped going out and started ordering everything online.
Our parents actually had genuine social relationships. They wouldn't overshare with strangers, yet they'd come back home feeling refreshed from small talk.
These days, with growing responsibilities and tight schedules at work, we might not be able to get out as often as we did when we were kids. But it's good to get your groceries/sweets/chocolates from the shop rather than ordering online whenever you can. Even better if you could take your sibling or your parents to a restaurant or a shop you visited frequently back in time and re-live those memories. I am definitely going to visit a sweet shop where they served pineapple chutney with Samosa when I was a kid.
What I am trying to say is,
As we embrace modern conveniences, let’s remember the importance of human connections and the simple joys that come from them. These experiences often form the foundation of who we are and make an impact on our lives in meaningful ways. Let's never forget who we are and where we came from. Let's try to stay in touch with our roots.
Thanks for reading. See you on another blog!
