The Death of Telegram

 Exactly 8 years ago this day the telegram services was closed forever in India. July 15, 2013 was the last day a telegram was sent. 

For years telegram was the harbinger of news - good, bad or ugly. First the good news, which was mostly related to birth of a child (mainly son, birth of a daughter unless she is the first child is rarely an occasion to celebrate back home). Or a new job offers for which the mailman (postman) was rewarded with LADDOOS (sweets) or monetary tips, occasionally both. 

Bad news was mostly related to sickness and death. Often dreaded for delivering news related to death, the telegram was already on its death bed in the age of emails, internets, social media, texts and smart phones. Unsurprisingly, finally it died its natural death.

Once a Babu (the way the government servants are addressed in India) went out on an urgent trip. He instructed his servant to send a telegram to his family members informing them about his unplanned jaunt. The faithful servant sent a telegram in Odia "BABU AJI MARI JAICHANTI" transliterated " Our master passed away today".

In fact the Babu went to a place called AJMER. So the slight difference in the spelling of AJMER and AJI MARI (died today) played havoc with the ill fated recipients of the fated telegram. When the smiling Babu returned back home a few days later his family members were startled to see him as if they saw a ghost. 

I sent one telegram in my life to fake illness in order to get some leaves from my Govt service where I once worked for a short period of time. I was told to do so, as a telegram message then was the best proof of authenticity to use in the SARKARI (govt) world. RIP, telegram service. Even 8 years after your death you have enough of nostalgia tied to you to be dug out from your grave.