Wednesday, September 5, 2012

written letter....endangered species




As we know, way of communication has changed remarkably during the last decade and its getting faster day by day, thanks to ever developing technology..... In fact now we are at the stage where we can communicate instantaneously with  our dear ones, no matter in which part of the world they are living. 

And in this digital era when each of us are living every moment of our life being in touch with our 'family n friends' and when our life revolves around technology, I sometimes miss those old fashioned hand written letters. I know, I am probably weird but seeing the handwriting of my 'relatives n friends' is something which I miss a lot these days and somehow feel that letter writing is a dying art now :(

Though we all enjoy sharing information and emotions through emails and SMSs  but I am sure that our gen-next must be missing those colorful handwritten love letters which has been replaced by the latest innovated ways of expressing love.

I remember, I used to write lot of letters during my college days. The habit actually started when I left my home for studies. After leaving home, letter was the only affordable way to be in touch with 'family n friends' because it was not so easy to afford phone those days... I remember while going from home after every holiday, my Dad used to give me a bundle of new postcards with the instruction to post at least one a weak, so that he could know how I was doing with my studies and other activities. 

Even after arrival of email's I continued writing letters to my Dad and while going through his stuffs after his death, to my surprise, I found a bundle of letters written to him by 'relatives n friends' and not to mention there were few written by me to him. It is really an unexpected record of tales and observations by different people who were communicating with him regularly, so you can imagine my excitement when I discovered that treasure in the form of hand written letters.

While these letters would not mean much to anyone else, to me they are priceless...I simply love looking on them, touching them, crying over them...Though people may feel that its nothing more than being emotional but going through those written stuff is something that I love doing often.

As I said, may be I am weird, but I feel that no matter how much personal we try to be while typing emails or composing those emotional SMSs, there is always a lack of feeling and emotions into it, when we compare them to hand written letters. In fact whenever we write a letter, we let our feelings flow to our finger tips and pour it on paper...And when the person on the other end reads those wonderfully written words, can easily feel our emotions and  connect with the thoughts we had while writing those words.

But over the period of time, I have also become a tech-friendly guy who can not stay anywhere without his 'keyboard n monitor' and feel suffocating if the environment is not filled with those invisible rays of magical wi-fi...And I must admit that of-late even my language skill has become a hybrid between eloquently flowing description to short electronically generated correspondences filled with (emotionless)Smileys and (meaningless)lolls......

But thrill of receiving  a letter from 'relatives n friends' is still the same for me and all those people are really special to me who can pick up the paper, write their feeling and pour their heart  on that piece of paper.

BTW, when did you last received a written letter....??? and,
When you had written your last letter to someone....???


******



************* 


irfaaaann@gmail.com

87 comments:

  1. I think even in schools, teachers might have stopped asking students to "Write an essay on ......"!It was a fun writing letters and wait for the post man to come at the door ringing the cycle bell.Day is not far when the post cards & Inland letters would become exhibits in museums for the next gen to watch & get amused!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i think what you say can be true in coming days when those handwritten post cards and inland letters will be displayed in museums for the upcoming generations to have a look on them....

      Thank you Ayyangar Sir.

      Delete
  2. ..Too good..nostalgic..
    Irfan bhai .. I still write letters to my friend in mumbai..
    its such a wonderful feeling when we express our feelings with hand written notes or letter ,,BTW the first love letter I received was also written with hand :P..(kidding)
    ...When we came to US our grandfather (hubbys grandfather)..he use to write letter to his friends in URDU sent to india..I use to see him hrs on study table seriously ..writing letters ..when he use to get replies in return he use to read letter over n over again..
    I wish we were not that tech savvy and more of Human
    kind :P but life runs on time n time runs on Emails and cells ..so ..cant say much.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. good to hear that you are still into writing letters and there are very few like you now a days...and yes our earlier generations were very much into as your grand father was...but somehow while grabbing the technological developments we lost that art...:(

      Thank you so much for this thoughtful comment Harman.

      Delete
  3. Irfan Bhai, nothing is constant but change, so we have to go with the flow - or else be left behind to a point from where it won't be possible to catch up.
    Nevertheless, I admire your feelings of the obsolete communication channels.
    Honestly, I am really really touched while reading your posted concern.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. and we are flowing into it...willingly or otherwise.
      but there are certain old traditional things which we do miss at times...isn't it.

      thanks for being so regular and kind with "APNiBOLi" Tariq bhai.

      Delete
  4. Yah,times have changed.
    I remember,receiving a telegram those days was known be a courier of bad news.But,as times change,technology takes over.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i remember, receiving telegrams used to create so much panic those days....and yes technology do have its advantages, so it has taken over the command.

      Thank you Sir.

      Delete
  5. There is absolutely nothing weird about it. I am exactly like that. Nothing can beat a letter..no SMS or email...The same with books too....iPads, kindles, smart phone can't beat holding a book and reading...:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i think its the aroma of those papers that makes them special...

      Thanks for the read FIF....:)

      Delete
  6. I really couldn't remember the last time I read a really long or short handwritten letter... but I could give you my address so you could begin :P Oh pardon the smileys and 'meaningless LOLs...

    I used to have an issue on this ~ but I guess some really good friends TAKE TIME to write long emails...and send SMS... I prefer words that come from the heart than quotes that come from googles...

    Thanks for sharing this... I was just wishing this afternoon to receive a letter ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hey, just ping me the address my dear and rest will be done for sure....:)
      and the smiley above does contain little bit of emotion too...

      Anyways thank you so much Melissa for that lovely comment.

      Delete
  7. Awwww... Truly nostalgic. Last time i wrote a letter was to my friend when she had left the town for her studies.. That was long time back though :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. you know....its the same with most of us "long time back"....and thats what making this art dying...but again this is what happens, new things replaces old ones, so nothing can be done.

      Anyways, thank you so much for the read Sonia.

      Delete
  8. I have no idea when I last written or received a letter, but I quite agree with you... and hand written letters deserve like nothing. Even though I receive plenty of sms, email and online greetings... a greeting card by post, holding our dear one’s handwritten phrases or a sign, is worth significant!

    As far technology grows, the communication has become easy but what we share has been shrunk! It’s obvious your emotion on letter and I too believe the letters of your father deserves a treasure to cherish always.

    Cheers!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. undoubtedly technology has made communication very easy but somehow it lacks those feelings n emotions as you said....

      BTW thanks a lot Jeevan for this wonderful comment here.

      Delete
  9. I have a post on that , will put it up for sure .. we have lost the art of writing those inland letters , it use to be awesome .. I rememeber my school days every sunday was letter writing day..

    i remember one of the blogger friends NRIGIRL started this thing and we wrote hand written letters to each other .. maybe we should start it again

    Bikram's

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yes Bikram, hand written posts are really a good idea and i know NRIGIRL is so innovative when it comes to the new ideas into blogging....:)

      and thank you so much Bikram for the read and comment.

      Delete
  10. My brother,
    Your words are powerful, deep, touching and sooooo true!! I can truly say I was moved by the letters between you and your father. Never lose them and yes, they are a TREASURE!! Great post my friend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for those lovely words Andy Saheb....
      glad to see you here regularly, thanks for the kindness.

      Delete
  11. Replies
    1. oh yes..and thanks for yet again visit here Sir.

      Delete
  12. Nothing to beat the pleasure of writing, Irfan!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thats true..it is very satisfying at times...

      Thanks for the read n comment Rahul Sir.

      Delete
  13. Hi Irfan,

    You are one of the bloggers I love reading but sometimes because of exams n all I fails to comment here on time. Hope you understand.
    Happy you are back to WI-FI zone :D Welcome back!
    I enjoyed reading your post. The excitement of receiving letters from dear near ones is so Special and overwhelming but sad , we all are moving to so called technical world and the art of hand written emotions evading day by day! :(

    Thanks for sharing this :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Simran, you must concentrate on your exams n give priority to them...and in between whenever you find time don't forget to visit "Apniboli"....:))

      Thanks for those kind words....:)

      Delete
  14. It has been a long time.I don't even remember getting it. I am so glad to have reached to your blog. Thanks for the patronage. Your write really well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. welcome at my space and Thanks for those kind words...looking forward to see you again here....

      Thank you.

      Delete
  15. Irfan Sb.
    Heart touching post. It was a great feeling when we received hand written letter at home and specially Eid Greeting cards.
    My father was very particular in writing letters to his father and relatives. Now the values are changed,its an era of fast food and fast communications with out taking pain.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks for those kind words leo....

      yes, every thing has got speed into it now a days....and we have to sail through this as per the requirement n need of the hour...no matter how pleasant the previous acts were.

      Thank you.

      Delete
  16. awwww!!!you know i never wrote a letter but some days before i read an old letter from my abba g to his abba g,so artistic and classic it was..your post reminded me of that letter:)...so nice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. zarnab, now you must write one to someone and feel the pleasure when you get its reply...and don't forget to tell me how you felt while receiving that written letter...

      Thanks for being so regular here...plz keep doing same way.

      Delete
  17. you know Punam, more than anything its the pleasure which we get while receiving n opening those envelopes and then a curiosity within ourselves to know what is penned inside.....sigh..i really miss that moment.....

    Thanks for that lovely comment and I always like to read you there, its only that sometimes situations are so that I miss them in between...will try to be more regular there...:)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Irfanuddin,

    It is so true that handwritten letters had own charming feelings. But one has to move on with times. Not only handwritten letters are dying but even attachments or sentiments are also with the advent of nucleus families. The touch given by you in the end is really telling what you wanted to so clearly.

    Take care

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. and thats what we are doing...moving with time, but again there are certain old n traditional things which we do miss at times and writing n getting its reply is certainly one of them, i am sure you agree with that...

      Thank you so much Jack uncle for sparing time again n again at my space.

      Regards,
      irfan.

      Delete
  19. yup, leave letters make me laugh, but my 10th love letters still make me giggle :)
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  20. This post actually reminded me of the last letter I wrote. It was some 4 years back.... To my best friend, on her birthday... :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. four yrs is a good amount of time Tanishka...so do write one more soon to someone dear to you....:)

      Thank you.

      Delete
  21. I love handwritten letters, notes and cards too. But, you are right, these days everything is e-this and e-that :(.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yes, Rachna ji, may be we are suffering from e-MANIA...:)

      Thank you.

      Delete
  22. A lovely reminder of the past! I have a big trunk full of hand written letters,written years ago, I read them when I miss my loved ones!
    The last handwritten one was just 10 days back! I found that emailing was expensive where I traveled to in Europe, so wrote a mail to my son on my journal, clicked it with blackberry, sent it! He said my hand writing didnt change from the times I wrote down his school notes, felt great!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can very well feel the pleasure you get while reading those...and BTW you seems to be lucky who could write a letter only 10 days back...just try keep doing that...:)

      thank you padmaja, good to have you here again.

      Delete
  23. It's an interesting post, refreshing and a topic which often crosses my mind. As you said, and millions around me do, I type everything (but rarely) write. As technology has pretty much overtaken the era of writing.

    The worrying thing in all of this for me is that I have lost the ability to believe in my writing. One time, I was creative, enjoyed seeing the words drawn out on a paper, the different types of pens which made its own reflection on the paper - my favourite was a calligraphy pen. But now, I simply can't see that magic in my writing any more - what's worse is that my writing skills have deteriorated including my spelling while writing.

    I think, I should take time out and start writing again..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. you are right, while going into the grip of emails and SMSs we did lost our proficiency over grammar n spellings, moreover handwriting is something about which we no more bother now, as we used to do earlier...

      Good to have you here my friend and thanks for this thoughtful comment too, hope to see you more often now.

      Delete
  24. I loved the last P.S.! Very apt 'finishing touch' for the post.

    I also have some old letters, like your father! Whenever I am cleaning the shelf, I read them again and again!

    I used to write to my mother in Kannada and in Tamil to my sister. I used to write so much that even the folds were filled with messages. I used to write 13-14 pages mails to my son when he went away for studies. I used to write jokes from Readers' Digest on all pages! It was fun. Now, we write emails and the jokes don't make much difference, I feel!

    Enjoyed reading your post, Irfan!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. and you can see the hand writing there in PS, even i am not able to put the words in a straight line...just bcoz every thing being done by keyboard now a days.....

      thanks for stopping by and for that lovely comment Sandhya....:)

      Delete
  25. Sahi hai Irfaan Bhai. Letter writing ki baat hi kuch aur hai. these days I am happy if someone contacts me outside of Fb , twitter or SMS. I will be glad even to receive an email. I had written a post along those lines a while ago :

    http://dilkibaatblogkesaath.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/ive-got-mail.html

    nice read. Take care.

    ReplyDelete
  26. heyyyy...AH.....
    where you had been.....how r u doing....???

    you know it has been decades to see you any where in this universe....wow....so good to see you again here...hope everything is fine and you will be around now...insha Allah.



    ReplyDelete
  27. Oh, to make a post on handwritten letters was always on my mind. But no you are not weird. If you are, then many of us are too. Just shows how much we miss our old times when things were simple, innocent and uncomplicated.

    Excellent post.... beautifully written.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yeah.....we do miss those simple things coming straight from the heart without manipulations....

      Thanks a lot Asha ji.

      Delete
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    ReplyDelete
  29. Unique post sir nd very well written ..
    yup ,writing letters .. ahh , best way to express ...


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the appreciations Anu...and yaa, they are the best but technology have eaten them up...:(

      Delete
  30. Who would not love to receive hand written letter, it is something that has had a sudden death.
    I received a letter from my father last month, and it felt so good. I think I have 2 letters written by him, which I have kept it safely in the cupboard. I love writing long letters and also receiving long letters. When I email also my letters turn out to be quite long.
    I think Padmaja's idea of sending a handwritten letter to her son by email was a good idea, it serves both the purpose, the speed of the modern technology and also filled with the love of a dear mom.
    BTW she is also my good friend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. wow...you received it only one month back...lucky one....:)

      yes, as long as we can pour our heart into those emails they are fine(like she used to do for her son).....

      Thank you so much Rama ji for the read and for putting your views.

      Delete
  31. yes,, i agree ...great post irfan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you...thanks for the encouraging words Ashok..:)

      Delete
  32. Appreciate this post . You have touched upon an emotional subject . It has made me nostalgic. I have written so many letters to different persons in my life with great passion but it's all a matter 15- 20 years back approximately when I installed a BSNL landline in my home . I really love to recall those letters and people whom I wrote . You touched upon my finer sentiments. Thanks for that .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hey...how are you doing Sir ji....gr8 to see you after LONG....

      and BTW 15-20 yrs is a big span of time bhai saheb...so take a paper and write one letter to me, then post it to....well you know the address naa.....:)

      looking forward to have you again here...thank you.

      Delete
  33. Extremely nostalgic!!Still remember the excitement when the postman would handover a Inland letter with my name inscribed on it..gone are the days!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. that khadi clad man was really someone, every body used to look at....but as you said, gone are the days...:(

      Thank you Ranita ji.

      Delete
  34. Till my mother and mother-in-law were writing, I used to reply by handwritten letters. It used to be lovely to get them but hard to write long hand. A profession that involved a lot of writing made it necessary to embrace the keyboard nearly 25 years ago, but since they could not use it, it was important to write them out. But once my mother became bedridden and mother-in-law passed away, it has come to an end, let's see how long back....eight years??

    I still have some letters by my parents and mother in law -- a cherished possession indeed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. sad to know about your mother, may Almighty make her healthy soon, Insha Allah.

      and yeah, those bundle of written letters by our loved ones are really something to go through again n again.....

      THank you so much for giving you views....

      Delete
  35. We must preserve some of these hand written letters for generations next to next. It is just like one can't imagine pigeons carrying letters.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. well, there may be a day when these hand written letters will be displayed in exhibitions for the upcoming generations...

      Thank you so much Indrani, looking forward to have you here again...:)

      Delete
  36. excellent post boss..brings back nostalgic memories of how i used to chase postmen...for letters...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. and even those khaki-clad postmen are endangered species now.....isn't it...?

      btw, thanks for stopping by Sir.

      Delete
  37. Right on the dot Irfan! My mom and dad have been carrying bundles of hand written letters sent by by me and my sibling from school/college days and also thereafter when we got jobs,got married,post marriage,after we had kids etc etc etc. Hand written letters are long lasting.can be read and reread a number of times and bring boundless joy to the reader even after many years have lapsed.
    Alas I have no bundles of letters from my children to cherish because they grew up in the hi tech age during their impressionable years and have taken to e-mail,face book,twitter etc (like fish to water)for instant communication.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. it must be a pleasure to read those letters again n again...
      Thanks a lot Krishnan Sir.

      Delete
  38. Dear Irfan,
    Nice post .. Its better we get adopted to this change.
    I last wrote letter to my father six years ago and received reply from him.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hey Sushant, how are you...??
      its long to see you in blog world....hope things are fine at ur end.

      Take care.

      Delete
  39. Rightly put Irfan ji, written letters are an endangered species in this age of sms and mms. I remember I started writing letters from the age of ten, when a friend left for Delhi due tom transfer of his father. Those days it was the ubiquitous post card open and with limited space as there was nothing to hide or so called 'private' and also not much to write about. Even so, one was eager to receive letters and pen down a quick reply. All that old world charm has gone now and every thing has become mechanized- even feelings and emotions !

    A really nice post !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. very true Sir, even our feelings n emotions are getting influenced by these ever developing technology....

      thanks for this lovely comment Sir.

      Delete
  40. Nothing can beat handwritten messages or letters. I do it, not letters though, notes, poems and cards. Last time I wrote a letter was in 1995, I guess. I think I should write to my parents, it will be a happy surprise for them :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. oh yes...it will be certainly a pleasant surprise for them....you must do.

      thank you Saru.

      Delete
  41. These days, we hold the pen for some signatures etc., never for writing a letter. I write a handwritten note for my brothers when I send them rakhis, and each year, I find my fingers tend to type than write. My so called good handwriting has gone for a toss.

    But handwritten letters have a charm of their own.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. and very soon even those signatures will be taken over by digital one...so....:(

      btw, glad to have you here Anupama....looking for ward to see you again....thank you.

      Delete
  42. Replies
    1. thanks for the read deeps, glad to have you here..:)

      in a way you are right aarkay Sir....:)

      Delete
  43. Replies
    1. thanks for the read dear...
      glad to have you here....plz do come again..:)

      Delete
  44. Thanks for these kind words james....:)

    ReplyDelete
  45. hey, cheer up and just mail me ur address Ashwini, i will write you one...:)

    and thanks for the read.

    ReplyDelete
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