The Little cost of Liberalization

The other day during "googling", I happen to bump into a site by Rajshri Productions, which had kept an online library of the episodes of "Malgudi Days". I watched all of them at one go & did not feel bored a single second. That prompted me then to search for other serials of the bygone era - Hum Log, Nukkad, Wagle ki Duniya, Fauji, Buniyaad...I found some but generally found my searches futile. Today when I look at the current television programs I find them too negative and repetitive.

Till 1992, we used to live in a place called Timarpur. More famous these days for the failed Timarpur Waste Mangement Project. Anyways, this time I will not discuss any serious topic but prefer to confine myself to some of my childhood memories which I am sure alot of us have in common. We were not an affluent family but always had sufficient. Like most working men, my father was employed in a "prestigious government job". I used to derive immense pride in telling my friends and people who used to ask my father's occupation that he was a government servant with the Delhi Government. I still take immense pride in telling it, however the reasons are different. Earlier it was a matter of pride, today it is a matter of sacrifice. He would leave for office by 8:40 & return latest by 6:30 pm. If he was delayed beyond that time, All of us would parade endlessly till he returned home.

Infact if I had to go bak in time I would say I would like my life to start afresh from 1988......When I was 6...When the only bread in the market was Modern bread....when the only cola drink was Campa.....When only congress came to power whoever fought elections......When there were only DTC buses on the road.....when the preferred mode of transportation was Rail, whatever be the distance....When the only time you could watch TV was between 8 to 10...when the only time you could watch movie was either to rent a cassette or on sundays on DD....when the only friends you had were anybody who could play with you....when you never questioned the logic of your parents......when you never had to take any decisions.....when people observed behavior than appearance....When Governemnt jobs were looked at with respect.....When I didnt know that there were B-school in the country.....when I thought that there were just 6 countries in the world - UK,US,China,Japan,Russia and Pakistan.......When Spiderman was the only superhero I knew.........When students were still afraid of not doing their homework........When Madhuri was the only hot woman in the world........When there was no Page 3........When I used to sleep at 9 in the night......when the latest I would ever wake up in the morning would be 8 am........When my professional life would end with the school's closing time at 2 pm......when I used to wait for Tuesdays to visit the temple....when the only time I had insecurity was if I would be able to save some prasad for myself after distributing to beggars.......when I thought enid blyton were the only children books on earth........when we used to have dinner at sharp 7:30 pm with all the family sitting on ground & my mum serving......when I knew that the only time one should fear is night.....when I thought that the universe ended with pluto...when I thought foreign goods were better than Indian.......when eating out was only for celebration.......When the maximum courage I ever had was to go alone till the colony gate......When I thought that all those who smoke & drink are anti-social elelments......When the roads searched for drivers to drive on them......when I thought that Nehru & Gandhi were the greatest leaders India ever produced.......When I sang only to please myself........When the only incentive to study was my mother's scolding.......when I used to eagerly await a marriage party to hog on the food.........

I am sure we all have endless experiences which now stand corrupted by the onslought of liberalization. Often I wonder if all that was worth it? May be in the long run and for the greater good. But I do not know who benefitted? At least I didnt.....