The westerlies are here! Wet roads, wet cars, wet trees, earth's distinct smell, hot tea and pakoras..... the list goes on! The lashing of the rains bring back the bitter sweet memories of childhood days, when we used to run out to get wet and come back drenched to the bone, shivering uncontrollably. The most prized possession-our paper boats, used to compete with other boats in the race. Predictably, there were no winners-all the boats used to get washed away. Yet, it was fun to fight over the best boat. And along with all the fun, cold and fever announced their arrival. But that was never a spirit dampener! Being a born day dreamer, I could sit near the window looking outside, lost in thoughts, even if confined to bed.
Years have passed by so quickly. Nothing much has changed - street children still huddle together under a big plastic sheet, their big bright eyes making you feel somewhat guilty of having a roof over your head, couples still sit together, vegetable vendors still sell their wares, dogs still find a cozy place.... only the rains have become more furious, power cuts more common, trains stopping due to flooded tracks more frequent and new diseases having made inroads, taking a couple of lives, more often. Yet there is one thing that I sorely miss! Paper boats! Where have they disappeared? The blue, pink, yellow artwork that dotted the gutters and little streams and floated away like magic, seems to have faded away from everyone's memory. The once ubiquitous paper boat have made way to computer games where one can sail a yacht, PSPs, various activity clubs that structure the child's activity, leaving no time to indulge in creative pursuits. The well-heeled parents (and not the so well-heeled ones) compete for a place in such clubs, for their tykes. And in a city like Mumbai, where latest gadgets are a fad, who has the time to make paper boats and watch it disappear? Reminiscing about this, walking on a wet road, I suddenly find myself face to face with a young street vendor, selling activity books for kids. I take my pick and open the first page. It reads, 'how to make paper boats'.
Years have passed by so quickly. Nothing much has changed - street children still huddle together under a big plastic sheet, their big bright eyes making you feel somewhat guilty of having a roof over your head, couples still sit together, vegetable vendors still sell their wares, dogs still find a cozy place.... only the rains have become more furious, power cuts more common, trains stopping due to flooded tracks more frequent and new diseases having made inroads, taking a couple of lives, more often. Yet there is one thing that I sorely miss! Paper boats! Where have they disappeared? The blue, pink, yellow artwork that dotted the gutters and little streams and floated away like magic, seems to have faded away from everyone's memory. The once ubiquitous paper boat have made way to computer games where one can sail a yacht, PSPs, various activity clubs that structure the child's activity, leaving no time to indulge in creative pursuits. The well-heeled parents (and not the so well-heeled ones) compete for a place in such clubs, for their tykes. And in a city like Mumbai, where latest gadgets are a fad, who has the time to make paper boats and watch it disappear? Reminiscing about this, walking on a wet road, I suddenly find myself face to face with a young street vendor, selling activity books for kids. I take my pick and open the first page. It reads, 'how to make paper boats'.
Yes, paper boats have vanished...so have tops, gilli danda, marbles....kids don't seem to have the time these days.
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