A 100 years ago

As my mother prepared to enter her 100th birthday on March 3 my thoughts went out to the world as must have existed on the day she was born.

Well, the world was big (it took over three weeks to go from Ballard Pier to Britain); life was simple and people simpler. There were leopards and tigers, whales and seals and many species, extinct today. Forests were large, cities were smaller and mega metropolis non-existent. Pollution and pollutants were far away in distant future. The air was pure and water was free. Houses were big, families were large and extended families lived under the same roof. Old folks were secure and respected. They were not sent to the old age homes to die of loneliness and neglect among strangers.

People did not have to travel long distances to their work places to earn their livelihood but the rupee did go a long way indeed.

Cars were stately but few; the Wright brothers’ heavier-than-air flying machine was in its infancy.

Our moon was mysterious, romantic and virgin. Only Jules Verne had thought of a trip to the moon.

The super power was Britain and not the USA.

Chivalry was not dead. Men stood up when a lady entered a room. Men also offered their seats to ladies in a tramcar. But then ladies were ladies and did not wear pants. Men were men and did not wear earrings.

There were more kingdoms and fewer republics.

Books were still read.

Aids meant help or succor and not the dreaded disease.

The word honor was not yet passé.

Wars were fought by gentlemen and officers. The two world wars were still in the future. The nuclear holocaust was undreamt of. Dead soldiers were buried by their comrades-in-arms with full military honors wherever possible and not left to rot or for enemy soldiers to bury them as happened with Pakistan soldiers during the Kargil conflict.

Mumbai was still Bombay, Kolkata was Calcutta and Chennai was Madras. All people south of Bombay were Madrasis and known as Annas. Beijing was Peking, Myanmar was Burma and Pakistan was not even thought of.

There were no high-rise buildings. There were no flying machines as big as football fields. Man had not reached the zenith of insanity to fly those machines into high-rise buildings.

The world had not progressed so much. Only, it was more civilized.

DARA KHODAIJI

dara_mk@hotmail.com