Local to Global - Repeat Telecast

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My childhood sea-side Village, Muthukur, is unique in India: escalating from a Local to Global Economy, Connectivity, and Environmental Degradation within the short span of my lifetime (71 years).

Then it was a sleepy village with 90% of its requirements met within a semi-circle of 30 kilometers (the other semicircle is at sea). 

Now only 10%.

Then there was no Electricity. We had oil-in-glass lamps with a cotton wick. The oil was vegetable oil ground in a local mill powered by bullocks going round and round in circles, with their eyes blindfolded to beguile them into believing they are in 'progress'. The oil seeds were grown in a neighboring village. The bullocks were home-grown. The cotton of the wick was from the nearby fields. The glass was manufactured in the Glass and Ceramic Factory 10 miles away. 

Now it boasts of a 5000 MW Mega-Watt Super-Power Plant supplying power to villages as far as 3000 km away.

Then there was hardly a fishing boat venturing into its sea.

Now it has one of the biggest sea-ports in India with ships berthing from all corners of the East, exporting iron ore and importing many things.

Then it had a mini-bus running on a coal-engine.

Now it has the most modern cars, trucks, and buses owned by big business tycoons.

Then it had a narrow strip of sandy bullock-cart road.

Now it is connected to a 8-lane Super Highway contracted to a Malaysian Firm.

Then there was only one pre-college school within 20 KM.

Now it has half a dozen engineering colleges and a medical college attached to a super-specialty hospital. 

Then only 1% of its population traveled to the nearby city (Madras).

Now 50% of its population have close relatives and friends in West Asia and another 50% in the US.

Then owning a push-bike was a dream.

Now 50% of the families have an automobile (moped, scooter, or car).

Then no one sent a telegram; the Post Office thrived on post-cards.

Now most everyone has a cell-phone and the Post-Office is busy with Savings Accounts Operations...telegrams are as dead as the dodo.

There were only a handful of people having access to a national newspaper (the Hindu).

Now, every family has a 1000-Channel Color TV and no one reads newspapers anymore.

Then there was only a Touring Cinema Talkies.

Now there are half a dozen Multiplexes within a radius of 20 km.

Then most vegetables, rice, and lentils were grown in the village environs.

Now everything comes from the nearby Supermarket Chain.

Then 1% students of the village went to the university.

Now 50% go to engineering colleges.

Then information traveled at the speed of the minibus.

Now it travels with the speed of light via the Internet.

Then we never saw a mosquito.

Now, one can't sleep in the open without mosquito-repellent creams, or All-Outs.

Then school-kids used to play outdoor games 5 hours a working day and 10 hours on weekends.

Now they play video-games 10 hours a day.

Then there was no obesity in the village.

Now there is no wiry, healthy, lanky sportsman in the entire village.

Then food was cooked in mud-pots on clay-stoves lit up by firewood gathered from the local trees.

Now in stainless steel vessels on gas-stoves lit by gas from the West Asia crude.

We kids were most happy then with hardly any tensions.

Now right from birth they are driven to compete with kids all over India and beyond.

Much gained.... but much else lost....like the starry heavens under clear skies! 

And the Milky Way...



...Posted by Ishani

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