LETTER
(കത്ത് എഴുത്തു)- (கடிதம்எழுத்து) We expected communications (Letters) fromrelatives, official through postmen in earlier days; Posts and telegraphdepartment was in charge of all communication after independence. Earlier eachstate had its own postal department. Till early 1980’s telephone communication wasa hard commodity to the common man. With Internet communication started byabout 1997’s gradually Electronic mails started becoming known and familiar.With home computers many become familiar with Emails. The courier system could divert some of themails through it from 1993’s or so. Now with mobile phones easily available andaffordable most communications are through phone. Where documentation requiredit comes through E- Mail or post or through courier service. Courier service is good as postal service.At one time courier was held high. The postal system has additional positives likeinsurance cover of the documents if desired so. Certain Government departmentsand organisations send the documents only through the postal system. Money order, savings account, telephone and electricity bill paymentsetc. are possible through postal system. Once I had to go urgently out of station andthe EB staff having their system continuously fail, suggested me to go to Headpost office and pay. They had separate link, it was working and I paid my bill.Till that time it was anew information to me. It was in 2015 or so. My nostalgic memories go to the crowding ofpeople in early 1980’s before post offices. In Kerala I could see many elderly from their homemade it as a duty to visit post office in the morning. Inflow offoreign money through exchange company cheques was common. It used to come inspecial Airmail cover. Many were eager to collect it earlier. Other waswellbeing mails from children, relatives and official communications. In my boyhood days we had an approximate time,postman would come to our area. People used to be a little anxious by theirwaiting, exceptionally when there are functions, expecting money orders orcommunications etc. from offices. Whether there is any basis or not, if crows crow in the morningsfor a long time in the premises of the homes, many used to concludethere would be a communication. Ifpostmen did not come for one or two days, people used to go to the post offices.Postmaster used toissue letters, if the postman was suddenly on leave and alternate arrangementscould not be made. We could see anxiety with Pensioners till thepostman arrives with Pension money order and happiness when the pension isreceived. The two chakrams of Sree Padmanbha (Pension is told so!!) was veryspecial. Like today’s asking for ID for each and everythingwas not there. The nervousness with youngsters was ofdifferent nature. Those waiting for interviews, appointment orders, examinationinformation etc. were used to be nervous till they get them through post. Missing posts was rare, but notun-common. Late arrivals were much more common. Many used to getinterview call letters on the AFTERNOON of the specified date, interview beingabout 50-80 KMs away they could only miss it telling bad luck. While many postmen used to come by cycle somepreferred half cycle and half walk on those days. Some preferred walk. Irecollect the joke if walking is good to control diabetics, these walkingpostmen could have diabetics either perfectly under control or should not havediabetics. If there is a letter, one could see a smile inthe face of postman. The postmen used to giveletters to children if they clearly know them and their parents. My query to Postman- Letter undo? (Is thereletter) The postman joke- Ithu muzhuvan letter allae.Pakshae samikku illa (All these are letters, but not for you) My query again after two days- Letter undo? (Isthere letter) The postman answer not to disappoint (if thereis no letter still) - Jnan oru letter kandathayi samsayam. Nokkatte. (I doubtwhether seen a letter for you. Let me see) after two minutes he will say- Illa,athu vere alinau (No, it is for some others with similar name) Whether people could recognise their cyclebell or not, they could be very attentive from inside room or kitchen whateverthe work done, or from back yard or bath room- the words “Post” and their cycle bell. Just like “Whether today it will rain?” asquery in Britain at one time (Long back read in a Bernard Shaw’s book) “Haspost man come?” was a query among local people on those days. Post man (Postmaster also) was a VIP, for marriages etc.,they were INVITED and especially cared. Even now whether people expect posts ornot, as through genes people are alert of post man coming and leaving in thatarea. Withspeed post, the postman coming with speed post got priority over local postman. It continues now too since importantmaterials comes through speed post now.We can see now too crowd before speed post-delivery area - of people missed toreceive, awaiting etc. Butspeed post man deliver ONLY after coming to address and verifying in Chennai.His red badge of speed post is familiar to all. Plastics, Passport etc. are received only through speed posts. Update- Now we can track speed post articles. Agreat improvement in post al side The postman uniform has undergone manychanges, Old Khaki has got changed to brown colour, then green colour lightclothes. Now they can stitch themselves. Currently postman uniform is kashaagain. Now a day we do not see postman wearingcap. Many postmen come in scooty ormotorbike. Very rare we can see now coming in bicycle. If we intimate we areexpecting a speed post, the speed postman while coming make sure to check onceagain and then only give the reply. The nervousness with youngsters was ofdifferent nature- I told earlier. Many youngster ladies/girls used to wait onthe way or close to house to collect letters from their beloved (husband or lover).Postman even from distance used to answer positive or negative, knowing theiranxiety (Kanden Seethayae). On those days husbands in military couldcommunicate through a special postal centre like 56 APO. Letters to them also. The card was common man’s communication, somemore rich used to have communication through Inland letters and covers. Printedcommunication used to come through Book post. Many a time lawyer notices or such court case items came in Inlandletter with registration and acknowledgement. One can say cover did not containany thing, but in Inland covers it was not possible. I am sure there would be objection from many if postalside discontinued inland letter. OnSundays we used to get express delivery. Now express delivery is not there. There is no special airmail cover. Money order form has become anordinary printed paper. Now most lettersare dropped in Letter box fitted to the gate by postman. If postman stops, it should beto deliver a registered post. Authorisation to deliver to another person on absence, redirect lettersto new address etc. still continues. One of the most important point to mention- Punctualityof post men. If in an area normally a post man come by 11 AM, the change can bemostly by 10 minutes. I was earlier not aware, redirection based onour letter is valid only for THREE MONTHS till I recently heard it from mypostman. If say, a bank sends an important notice due after 4 months fromchanging the address, post office need not deliver it in the new address. Withdrawalof the mobile post offices in cities dueto lesser customers may again get introduced again. Because of the large queuesin post offices now is an indicator to it. At one time Telegraph and telecommunicationswere under Indian Post and Telegraphs Department. I was selected by Indian postand telecom department to junior engineer. My training orders were receivedthrough Telegram. Now Tele graph service has discontinued – not havingcustomers. Update1- Introduction of ATM card for savings accountand introduction of post office ATM. Those depositing in post offices can with draw through any ATM, and anybank plastic can be used to withdraw cash from post office ATM. Now chip cardhas been introduced. However so far it is not extended to online transactions.The day is not far off it would also feasible. Update2- The change of staff behaviourbefore a decade is not there with present staff. They welcome customers with asmile and help in all ways to the requirement. Many times a query made to counterstaff is observed and a superior answer and do the needful especially if thecounter is busy. Seating arrangement, token system like banksetc. are further additions. Some post offices have also MAY I HELP YOU counter Writer-R. Gopala Krishnan, 77, retired AGM,Telecom, Trivandrum. Originally posted on 22-11-2013. Re posted on 9-2-2021 after editing and updating. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/54237584.3510362.1612876778264%40mail.yahoo.com.
