Monday, October 16, 2006

A Generation Gap

I just had this feeling sinking in when in my final year of my Bachelor's programme, and that was way back in 2003. The incoming batch really had me in a complex, what with heavy put on accent and jazzy gadgets accompanying them always. They had a perpetual tilt with their head resting on one of their shoulders. Obviously, it is no easy task to talk all the time on mobile phones, what with terrific mobile plans in the offing. If Airtel and Hutch was trying to popularize something, SPICE used to be one notch above. Having a mobile was no longer a status quo - and we were really thrown into the oblivion. All of us were a bunch of jokers, carrying ourselves with utmost ease without a care in the world. Virtually, all of them had migrated from the good old bike days. There was a constraint of space due to the increasing number of four wheelers. By the way, Maruti was out of vogue. People had jumped to WagonR, Santro and the other new sleazy vehicles. Of course, cars had backseats!!!! Almost everyone hung out in pairs. The idea of being single was looked upon as a joke. My mind was whizzing thanks to the transition. Everything seemed out of place. The way the new set of kids carried themselves around left us in a state of ancient time frame.


Things did not quite change much when I started to work. Atleast, I felt I was still the same. I really had to look upto things. One year into my work, and in front of my office emerged a glossy mall. It was one of its kind and the first in Bangalore. Forum Mall had hit the headlines in Teenage Times. It had everything. Once you entered the place, you needn't come out for anything. Movies, Restaurants, Clothes, Music, Books and almost everything found its way into Forum. The concept of Multiplex found a new meaning with the launch of this sophisticated building. PVR hit the right chord with the movie goers. It is right in front of my office and how could I miss it. I loved to go to Forum just because of Landmark. The range of books that adorned Landmark was truly amazing. It was a reader's paradise. During my visits to Forum, I just used to get amazed at the purchasing ability of the public. Go to any movie, and all you could see was a house full board. By the way, tickets in PVR is not all that economical. You had two range of tickets - one costing 100 rupees and the other an exhorbitant (that's what I thought) 500 rupees. Almost all the software sector, and the college youth found their way to the PVR cinemas. Every individual had a supporting individual! Yes, it worked only in pairs. On one hand was a mobile, and the other hand rested on his girlfriend, and the shopping spree continued to impress the better half. I mean, the better half for that day. Things change in life and so do these things. Imagine us from the office, going in a big group to Forum, and getting involved in nothing more than window shopping. After all, what more can we do? In order to maintain our stability, we stopped our visits to Forum over a period of time and decided to move on with time. Life @ Forum was too fast for us!


Today, all of us have a hearty laugh(with concern too) looking at the cultural change that is gripping Bangalore. Money is pouring in abundance, and with the booming economy, one can get almost anything he wants. It is not all that surprising to see people flaunt their wealth on anything that is trivial. Everything seems so ethereal, unrealistic and unsure. Pubs, Booze and Party have all become trite. Social drinkers have emerged from nowhere, and everything seems to be alright under the current scheme of things. Discos and dance parties are the order of the day (rather night). The young kids want a good nightlife, and they complain if the pubs close at 11 pm in the night, as if that is the most outrageous thing in the world right now. A teetotaller is met with a response You don't drink? with aghast. Looks like I am out of place with a serious generation gap!

7 comments:

  1. You seem to be on a blogging spree these days! Yenu samaachaara?

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  2. Just that seemed to have more ideas on some simple stuff :-)....things are going to hit a standstill in some time...so thought till then why not utilize the time :-)

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  3. i find it funny that you dont drink .. and i am from u r batch :-)
    btw, arent u happy with the fact that the lifestyle is getting better in india (atleast bangalore) .. after all, this is the kind of thing we envision to have, right ?

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  4. Mmmm....It is actually a tradeoff man...More money means actually more mess!!! Lifestyle has gone way beyond what we envisioned if you ask me! I want to get back the conservative mould of the early nineties. Life was more fun and promising with little things bearing a lot of significance. It is not a comforting feeling these days with so much happening in and arnd Blore! Bangalore beckons a more conservative touch!

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  5. A verse from "Times they are a changing"....

    Come mothers and fathers
    Throughout the land
    And don't criticize
    What you can't understand
    Your sons and your daughters
    Are beyond your command
    Your old road is
    Rapidly agin'.
    Please get out of the new one
    If you can't lend your hand
    For the times they are a-changin'.

    Don't mean to sound anti-watever , but things change, maybe past few years , its been a li'll too fast.

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  6. i feel that even thought hte life style is getting better, the kids in india are losing out on the fun we got from doing those small little things that we grew up sdoing...they are more in to what is "in" and wats latest instead of simple games and books!!! which i feel is kind of sad.

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  7. I do agree with you when u say.. Things are moving a little too fast!! Yes .. NO doubt.."bangalore is the fastest developing City in Asia". So.. Thats quite natural.. During the process..Obviously the Culture is gonna be damaged.. As U perfectly put it.. Its just a trade off.. I remember my school days way back in 90's..It was real fun.. no pubs.. Mals.. Shopping in Malleswaram 8th cross.. If you enter 8th Cross..U need not come out for anything.U could find everything!!! :) Now..Things have changed.. gals in Blore these days..Look down upon ppl who dont shop in Forum or Garuda or Shopper's Stop.. Also, ppl in general llok down upon U if U say U r single.. Ridiculous..aint it?? Good Job..
    So far so good.. One ridiculous thing that I dont follow is.. "India's Drinking population has been constant for a long time".So you cant blame the Mals like Forum for it!! If you dont drink.. Well.. thats good for you. I think this point seems kind of irrelavent!!!

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