Train Journeys Then & Now

As a Mumbaite, train journey has been a part and parcel of my life since school days. In spite of the crowd, it was always fun to meet friends, chat and exchange interesting notes.
During vacations, we had to undertake atleast a day and two nights journey before we could reach our native town.
Exhaustive plans were made for the journey. We children collected maximum possible books, cards, board games etc. Mother was busy packing all the three meals. Other than a cup of milk, we were never indulged in outside food. Once we entered the train and our luggages were placed safely under the seats, we looked around in the compartment in search of company. During that one day's journey, children shared everything from books to food and spent their time together as if they were friends for long. The adults exchanged notes about their families and sometimes these friendships continued beyond the journey.
In contrast, today, people prefer to travel by air. Even if they travel by train, the moment they get in, if they are single, they keep sending messages on their mobile, or listen to music from an ipod or open up their laptops. Virtually there is no communication between the passengers. even if they travel for a whole day. Food is rarely packed from home. There is a continous stream of vendors selling all kinds of eatables from wafers to cutlets. There are children who would want to buy everything that crosses their seat and surprisingly quite a few parents give into it.

The only thing which still is part of a long distance journey is a poor child cleaning the compartment and asking for alms and most just turn their heads away.
Has technology erased the human touch in us?

Just Justice

The rolling bar at the bottom of the tv screen of a news channnel read "Lindsay does a stint at morgue". They did not think it essential to show more details.

Probably many read it as "stunt" and did not give much importance. I am sure many are not even aware as to who is Lindsay (Lohan). Anyway the whole country was rejoicing over the record victory of our cricket team at Perth.

Lindsay Lohan is an actress, punished for drunken driving. Apart from her jail term, the judge ordered her to spend two days of four hours each at the hospital morgue and then at the emergency room. This was necessary to understand the ill effects of drunken and rash driving.
No media or her fans could change this.

Compare this with our own Salman khan who too, a few years back, killed the innocent poor people sleeping on the footpath. He just ran away from the scene. When he was arrested and tried, he came out on bail and still no justice has been meted out.
The media also is to be blamed for all this. They give undue importance to all these stars and dont stand for the victims. Obviously, the victims are poor and of no use to them.

Now he and the whole media take pride that he is flying to London to unveil his statue at the Toussads.

Will the poor and non celebrity ever get justice in India?

Is this not child labour?

" At Rs. 12/- this washing soap also will continue" says a 10 year old boy in an ad.
If any of you have children of that age, you will agree with me that children not only have no idea of the price of a washing soap, they also have no idea what brand their mother is using.Or for that matter a child in a jewelery ad.

Of late, children have taken the chunk of the modeling in the ad world. Initially it started with shoe polish, food items etc. When marketeers found that the parents are forced buy these products by their children, they found an easy way.
It is definitely advantageous to those who market the product:

• The children have to be paid less than an adult model.
• They have a better market appeal.

But I doubt if any parent has given a thought to what harm it would cause to their child.
Definitely, a parent feels proud when her child is seen on visual media and becomes famous not to mention the money he would bring in.
Compared to these small pleasures, the pains are immeasurable.

• At that tender age, any child would enjoy the fame and attention and gifts that is showered on him/her.What happens when he grows up and does not get the same attention? How this affects, only a psychologist can say.
• The child model looses the pleasures of his childhood.
• He may lose interest in studies and may not qualify himself.

The NGOs and other organisations are blind to these children. Does this not come under the purview of the Child Labour Act? Or is it restricted to only the economically backward children who work for their living?

I have nothing against using the children as models in the right kind of ads. One good example is the airtel ad and the other one where a child admonishes a man for spoiling a national monument.

Will the admakers think about it. I wish.