The nation is coming to terms with the internet maxim "If you aren't paying, you are the product" becoming true of WhatsApp, which will start sharing (more of) our metadata (explainer here) come February. People are migrating en masse to more secure apps. Personally though, I am becoming inclined towards a less secure, less reliable and paid network. Why? For the romance of it.
I am of course referring to good old snail mail. Is it convenient? Mumbai has postboxes generously and irregularly scattered around. Are they well used? Well, there is a tea-shop set up in front of the one next to Colaba Post Office, so draw your conclusions from that. All the more reason to support it.
Of course, it takes a while to reach, but I think for longer and more honest messages it's worth being free from the shackles of blue ticks and last seens. Little hand-drawn figures communicate a bit more than emojis, and I like taking a moment to decide which person will like which postcard best. And as someone who stresses out over how to word an email, take my word that this is somehow more natural! Stream-of-consciousness writing and signing off with "Love" are allowed and encouraged.
All this is to say if you want me to round the tea-shop and send you something, drop me your address! (I'm not sure if I'm even getting incoming post, so I'll let you know about that). Or just take a walk and buy some stamps of different denominations. It's a nice feeling.
Good to know that u have reached Mumbai. I have an elderly friend who keeps our postman busy and i treasure every one of his letters. It's lovely to think of the efforts he puts into these little treasures that makes them all the more invaluable. My address is Vijaysagar, 92 Netaji street, chandrasekara puram , kovur, chennai 128.
ReplyDeleteI once overheard post master Kandasamy at the Adyar post office (now retired) tell a customer, "இந்த கந்தசாமி இருக்கறவரைக்கும் ஒரு லெட்டர் தொலைஞ்சு போகாது இந்த ஆபீஸ்ல".
ReplyDeleteI have been wanting to meet him. Have to find him first. But this post gives a little motivation to do that. So thanks.
PS: I am still going to comment here instead of sending you a postcard, at least for now. Hope that's ok!
I think you already know my address Aparna (*grin*/hint), and you may or may not know that I for one never really stopped writing letters. My friends would think I was crazy but that didn't bother me at all! BTW, is the post box next to the temple regularly cleared? I've often wondered about it.
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