The Autobiography of An Old Fridge

My name is Allwyn Prestcold.I am milky white in colour, and my name is boldly emblazoned across my chest. I was bought by a newlywed couple almost 60 years ago.
A year into their marriage, the couple became the proud parents of a baby girl whom they named Marietta.

I was always filled with goodies and food. The couple took good care of me. My door was never left open for long, and it was never, never banged shut. They treated me with the utmost care and gentleness. I defrosted and cleaned regularly. Marietta was, of course, forbidden from opening me. I lived in Mumbai for about 2 years, and then Marietta's father was transferred to Jamshedpur. They took me along. I, of course, was transported by truck together with their other belongings, but praise the Lord, I arrived in one piece.

I spent 22 unbearably long summers in Jamshedpur, cooling food and drink and preventing it from spoiling. Fridge water and ice were a staple during the summer. Marietta's mother, Marie, was an excellent cook, and her father Albert was a foodie, so Marie cooked plenty. I remember her treating Marietta to plenty of homemade ice cream in the summer. I was also kind of working overtime in the summer.

Then, in 1970, a son whom Albert and Marie named David was born. I continued to work, doing my best. There were times when I felt unwell, and I was immediately referred to a doctor who usually cured my ailment.

After 22 years in Jamshedpur, my owners moved back to Mumbai. Once again, I moved with them and continued to serve the family.
Sadly, about 2 years after the move, Albert passed away. Marie and the children vacated the apartment and moved to Pune. This was my third journey, and I arrived safe and sound in Pune. Again, I rendered good service and was well looked after.
Marie was beginning to age, and it was decided that she move closer to David, who was by now married. Marietta was also married and living back in Mumbai.

So we moved to Kondhwa in Pune, and it was there that I, too, began to show signs of aging. I couldn't serve Marie very well, as I fell sick often. It wasn't fair to her. She needed someone younger, and so one day, with a heavy heart, she traded me in for someone younger and more reliable.
She is no longer on earth, and I'm in some faraway godown waiting to be taken to a recycling facility. 

 

Bapu

 

 

Bapu,

As the Father of the nation

You are worthy of imitation.

 

Born in Porbandar, Gujarat

You won every Indian’s heart.

Peace and tolerance you preferred

Ahimsa was your watchword.

 

Barrister in South Africa

In India, you only used the charka.

Showed us how to spin our Khadi.

How to make our salt at Dandi.

 

Frail you were, and so bold

Bapu, the truth you always told.

It was the motto of your life

Also of Kasturba, your wife.

The British Raj you bravely resisted

That they 'Quit India,' you insisted.

Swaraj was close to your heart.

 Hindu, Muslim bhai-bhai

Our country you worked to unify.

You dared to disobey the British regime

Your courage is held in high esteem.

 

You called Harijans the people of God

They, the scheduled castes over whom we trod.

You gave them dignity

But for your ideals, you died.

 

My “Experiments with Truth," the book you wrote

Your ‘simple living, high thinking,' we note

Great soul, such was your charisma

Now we call you Maha- Atma.

Image credit: Pixabay

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 [J1]

A Fiery Tale And More

The word fire brings to mind the tragic end of a celebratory function in the quiet town of Jamshedpur in the year 1989.

March 3rd is the birthday of the founder of Jamshedpur, Sir Jamshedji Tata. 1989 was particularly significant because it happened to be the 150^th birthday anniversary of the industrialist. The management of the Tata Iron and Steel Company arranged a grand celebration. Nobody ever imagined that such a tragedy would unfold.

The fire ignited as a small spark on the roof of the gallery of the VIP enclosure, which was noticed only after it had spread to a cloth and bamboo structure. Attendees were instructed not to panic but to remain calm and seated. However, as the cloth and bamboo structure began to burn and collapse, approximately 200 were trapped. A stampede ensued and 50 people lost their lives. The tragedy led to the establishment of a burn care unit at the Tata Main Hospital.

Amid the chaos, there were acts of heroism, tragic deaths, and providential escapes. I was then teaching grade 3 and was devastated by the death of one of my students in the fire. All celebrations were cancelled that year, and the day has gone down as one of the darkest days in the history of the Tata Iron and Steel Company.

 

Some Facts about Fire:

 

Fire burns only on earth.

This is because the other planets don’t have sufficient oxygen to support the burning of a flame.

 

Fire can double every 30-60 seconds.

It takes only ½ minute for a fire to grow.

 

Smoke inhalation can kill before flames

A person can succumb to carbon monoxide poisoning even before being burned.

Fire changes colour according to oxygen levels

A blue flame means plenty of oxygen, while a yellow one means low oxygen supply.

 

Gravity affects fire

Combustion gases rise and as flames move upwards, they take in more oxygen making them stronger.

 

The Olympic flame was ignited using sunlight

Ancient Greeks used concentrated sunlight to start the Olympic flame. 

Image Credit: Pixabay

This post is part of the weekly Blogchatter Bloghop challenge. 

 

Television Memories

 

I remember Dad listening to cricket commentaries and the news from the BBC on our Murphy radio, and I was all attention every morning as Radio Ceylon aired their'request ‘request programme’ of English songs. Transistors and radio were our gadgets of information and entertainment. .”

Television came to India in 1959 with an experimental transmission from New Delhi. Services were extended to Mumbai in 1972 and 1975 and

included Chennai, Calcutta, Srinagar, and Amritsar. Colour television in India began making its presence felt in the early eighties.   The first programme in colour to be broadcast by Doordarshan, the public broadcast television channel run by the Indian government was the live telecast of the Independence Day parade of 1982 followed by the Asian Games in New Delhi. Doordarshan also began broadcasting a slew of soaps, comedies, and thrillers. Humlog was the first serial to be broadcast by Doordarshan in 1984.

We were the proud owners of a medium-sized BPL colour television in 1985.  As the Onida television tagline said: “Neighbours envy, Owners pride.I have fond memories of watching Nukkad, Wagle ki Duniya, Buniyaad, Yeh jo hai zindagi which are a few from a never-ending list.  The serials were entertaining and relatable as they dealt with the common man’s life and problems. Then there was the hilarious I Love Lucy and Different Strokes which I tried not to miss.

Star Trek did not interest me at all, but it had quite a huge following. The Sunday evening Hindi movie could not be missed. Everybody did not own a television set all at once, and neighbours went to each other's homes for cricket matches and a good movie. Our maid came to work a little earlier than usual on Sunday and stayed back to watch Ramayan and Mahabharata.  Film buffs remained glued to the television watching Chitrahaar which was broadcast once a week. If my memory serves me right, I think it was on Wednesday that the programme was broadcast. There was Krishi darshan and broadcasts of rural games like kho-kho and kabaddi, which are yet being broadcast.

Satellite and cable Television in the 1990s proved to be a big challenge for Doordarshan. It struggled to compete with the numerous cable and network channels, but kudos, it survives!

My sons had their fill of children’s programmes on Cartoon Network, Pogo and Nickelodeon. I too was hooked to certain channels and serials on satellite television.

Television has profoundly impacted modern society, culture, politics, and social norms. From news programmes, documentaries, and entertainment, television shapes our world.

On November 21st, World Television Day, we celebrate the advent of television in our lives and choose to ignore its nickname, “idiot box." (Too much of anything is anyway a bad thing.) From its humble beginnings to the modern sleek compact, high-tech sets, television continues to educate, inform, and inspire us.

Happy Television Day.

Image credit: Pixabay. 

 

The Year That Was

 

As each year draws to a close, we look forward to a happier New Year. It’s December 2024 and I find myself given to introspection, reflection, and gratitude. Each year unfolds like a kaleidoscope of lessons and experiences. We lose some, we win some, and through it all we grow.

A lack of peace on our beautiful planet marked 2024. Prolonged wars between nations and communities caused immeasurable death and destruction of innocent lives. Only when there is peace can progress follow. Let’s hope that peace finds a home on our planet in 2025.

We also witnessed other significant political events that changed the global landscape. Natural disasters, tragic accidents, and unforgettable moments of pride and honour, will remain etched in memory.

I learned lessons in 2024. Thanks to some foolish and careless investments and decisions, I learned to be money-savvy. Old friendships turning sour disappointed and hurt me, but I’m grateful for kindness from unexpected sources. I gained insights into the workings of the self-publishing industry, and personally, what I learnt and experienced has been quite unappealing.

At the close of 2024, I am proud of even my littlest achievements. I am a wee more tech-savvy than when the year began.  I’ve done a moderate amount of writing and read a few more books than I did in 2023. There’s always room for improvement, I say.

The Christmas tree looks prettier and has an extra special glow this year.   My older son from overseas is visiting after 3 years, filling our half-empty nest with love, light, and laughter.

I hardly travelled in 2024, but a couple of short trips made me feel extremely blessed and happy.

As we move into 2025, we carry with us lessons learned and our hopes and dreams for peace and prosperity in our lives and around the world. Kaleidoscope 2025 will bring forth different thoughts, actions, reactions, and words and I hope they are positive ones for all of us.

 

Happy New Year. 

Image Credit : Pixabay

New Year Resolutions

 You make New Year Resolutions with determination

Once made, you fight off temptation

You walk the straight and narrow mile.

In the Resolution world

Life's all hunky dory for a while. 

Then you make a tiny slip

And another, and another,

Until you find 

You've lost your grip

So long!

Until happy next New Year. 

Image credit: Pixabay. 

Where Have All The Christmas Cards Gone?

 The one thing that I miss dreadfully about Christmas is the good old Christmas card. 

While the seamstress and confectioner gear up to take on the onslaught of the festive season and every Christian household works overtime to put out their best on that special day, one charming aspect of the festival is slowly fading away... Where have all the paper Christmas cards gone?

There are generations who have grown up minus the internet or the cell phone, played Catching Cook and not Candy Crush, and enjoyed the ritual of writing and posting Christmas greetings. 

I pride myself on belonging to one of those generations. This part of the Christmas preparations was delegated to me when I was a teen. 

I sat down and made a list of whom the cards would go out to, trying not to forget anyone. First came the immediate family circle—grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins, then distant relatives and friends. 

Once I had made the list, with constant additions and subtractions, I went to stores that stocked Christmas cards. I read and reread the words on the inside and outside of the card and strove to pick a good mix of fun and spirituality, intending to send the right card to the right person. 

Then I returned home and assembled together all that was needed to send out the greetings. I carefully wrote the cards in my best schoolgirl handwriting, slipped them into their envelopes, glued or licked the required stamps onto the envelope, and handed them over to an elder to be dropped into the post box. That was one job struck off the Christmas ‘to-do' list.

In the meantime, as the festival drew nearer, the trips to the letterbox grew more frequent—I snatched a moment or two every day to peer into the letterbox to find out if Mr. Postman had made my day. Sometimes he did, sometimes not. 

On good days, I collected the cards, ran home, opened each, and exclaimed in delight as I read the sender's name. The cards were kept away carefully to be strung up along with the decorations. Some precious old ones also found a place alongside the new ones.

Emojis and digital greetings are no substitute for the charm of writing and posting Christmas cards. They are the closest one can get to a hug on this special day. 

Do you send e-cards or go with the virtual ones?  

Image credit: Pixabay.