THE DEATH OF A TELEGRAM

     

As India bids adieu to the 163-year -old service -Telegraph , many people of yesteryears  are nostalgic and wipe their tears. But I don't belong to the category.  Simply because the 'telegram' is bad to us as it always  brought  'death' news only.

 Yes, our cine people had used  it for umpteen purposes.  On sighting an old  messenger nearing her  lover's home,  carrying a telegram from the telegraph office, the lady love's anxiety would grow. She would be flying like a butterfly to learn what is in store. Normally the date of the 'lover's arrival' would be intimated via a telegram. In such scenes invariably the 'hero' would be serving in army. But unfortunatley all these messages would be invariably in English and the hero's father would be in search of the village school master. Finally the school master would break the news that the 'hero' had a heroic death in a border skirmishes. Then as usual tears and cries and the 'telegram' achieved its intended agenda. The messenger would leave the village  after getting the thumb impression of the hero's father in the delivery note and disappear smoothly leaving a lasting impression about  these deadly 'telegrams' on our minds .


The word telegram  became 'thanthi' in Tamil and the new word itself has contributed a lot to the Tamil lexicon. The most popular daily  of Tamilnadu had 'Thanthi' in its name as it brought instant news. Some people after the 'bride seeing ceremony'  used to inform the would be bride's family  through telegram , their approval or dis-approval of the bride. At times hostelers  used  telegram to snatch quick money from their parents. The various departments used telegrams to inform the selection of candidates for their departments.

The train carrying the  'mail'  was supposed to be slow, stopping at every station and 'telegram' was considered an 'express' for its speed of delivery. It is an irony the poor 'mail' , of course e-mail has replaced this express- 'telegram'.

Whatever may be its utility I can't overcome the suspicion, mystery, anxiety,  fear, terror and shock  attached with these paper tigers. I celebrate the death of 'telegrams' joyously.