The Glocal Neighbourhood

Sometime ago, I was travelling to Gubbi from Bengaluru on a KSRTC bus. This incident occurred during the Deepavali festival season. All buses were running to their maximum capacities (~ no place to accommodate any more passengers even if they prefer to standing until the next stop, ie another 70 kms or 90 minutes journey!). I managed to sneak into one of the Shivamogga bound red bus from Bengaluru at the Govardhan stop near Yeshwantpura. The bus was full with mostly male passengers in the age-group of 20-45 years and few women and elderly passengers. I don't remember to have seen any children (age group: 6-16 years) on board :(

The bus took more than 45 minutes to make its way out of the city limits (reach Nelamangala). There were a group of friends (of about 4-5 guys), sitting together in two rows, close to where I was literally clinging on. We had just passed the toll-gate past Nelamangala and one of the guy received a call from one of his friends. I didn't bother for few minutes nor did wish to eavesdrop. As it turned out, he was speaking to one of his friends currently in the US of A, wishing him for the festival. In turns all of them spoke to their seemingly 'remote friend' as if he was calling from his house in Shivamogga. Learning that he is returning soon, they aired their wishlist to him without any hesitation! The conversation lasted until we had passed the next toll (which is easily 35 kms and a journey time of 30 mins at least). Some dozed of, while few of them flashing their jazzy mobile phones, played games or listened to music from FM Radio stations.

I stood there witnessing all these as yet another passenger on the overcrowded bus wondering how communication has transformed lives. I was happy on several counts. One, the fruits of transformation was being savoured by natives of a non-metropolitan city. Two, the youth group belonged to the seemingly elite IT bandwagon, but chose to connect to their roots (by way of going together and for a festival).

I was happy that the journey didn't pass of uninterestingly, but offered some food for thought and introspection.

Recently, about 10 days ago, I was again travelling back to Gubbi from Bengaluru. Except that this time the bus was not crowded and so had even managed to get a seat in spite of catching the bus from Govardhan again! Sometime during the journey, I received a call. I noticed it was from a friend of mine currently pursuing his post-doctoral research at NUS Singapore!

Now, does that ring a bell! You never know, you could be next!