THE AGE OF INNOCENCE

                                       This Life that Period

 Few days ago, in the morning i generally decided to go to one of the small kirana shops ( grocery) near Chintal basti in khairtabad . I deliberately avoided our, this generation evil,  Super Bazar and mall, not that i dislike them or have some reservation but just for old time purpose i went to this shop.  This is a typical store where everything is in disarray and only the shop keeper and rarely a helping boy would know where what is in the stores and in a jiffy they will give you without any irritation or smile. 

Before plastic usage days, they would pack in a thick paper made covers or just wrap in a news paper, what was called “Potlam” in telugu.  There is some romanticism about these places. I would love to buy stuff from these places and the best part of these stores unlike the latest ones is that there is no temptation except the transparent jar of cabury’s.

The entire business model was the availability of all items and being able to give in smallest quantities also. For many people they would even give a month’s credit with the very informal maintenance of books. What was best about these places and people is the emotional connect which is totally absent in malls. These big stores are like the stiff humans of this decade who think it’s risky to smile or greet or talk to the known faces too, forget the strangers. 

As a child, i remember talking to everyone coming to the store and a small talk for a minute would bring some smile, some comfort to take come. Now the exhaustion in the queue or the temptation to buy more than what is needed or what is used is painful. 

I will beg to differ and won’t mind arguing if someone talks about the hygiene in these big good looking stores. Several times the items got spoiled or were infested with germs of all kinds, including one coming into the Mirchi powder after few days. Gosh it’s real and i don’t go with the outer looks. Not to blame anyone, nor is this any suggestion but its like saying five star hotel’s food is more hygienic than the road side hotels. That’s not the debate here at all.

The most emotional thing which stuck me was the coming of 2 small children aged 4 and 5 to buy 5 rupees vimbar in that chintal basti shop. Somehow i would have felt happ  if they had come to buy some chocolates or some snacks like lays.. I just bought them some stuff to eat and they refused to take the same. I was touched at their maturity to say NO but felt may be their elders might scold them and ask several questions on how and why? I experienced some innocence about these poor looking and sharp innocent children. I hugged them, asked their names and said it’s ok to take this. They took this and kept walking away and looking back. God knows what they had in mind but i only felt that their elders should not scold them. That day, that moment was emotionally satisfying and felt good.

 This small happiness is not experienced by me in big stores. The small stores are some kind of microcosm of life. I am sure everyone who is born before 1980’s would have many tales of some small time shops and experiences.

World grows bigger, things gets more and more systematized, organized, and there is accountability and there is decoration, there is external beauty and so many things to buy and afford. But the small happiness has to be searched and got to make life more meaningful, joyous and fulfilling. I feel so and few might also feel the same. One way is go to a small shop, small hair cutting saloon, old hotels, old bazaars, and of course meet old friends and old people.

Life is beautiful in its innocence and this is what is missing in life. There is too much smartness around and little happiness can be got only in re discovering this innocence which is still there in abundance if you want to discover. Take a walk, go to old temple and sit there and watch people. Go to old bazaar and just buy some loose stuff or just walk down across the street and watch all that is going on.