Daadi And Technology

This is a humorous take on technology coming to the aid of elderly people who were lonely and ailing during the lockdown period. It revolves around the protagonist Daadi who is fed up seeing the whole household immersed in their gadgets and giving her a cold treatment. When she complains to her granddaughter regarding her woes, the young girl helps her out by teaching her the nuances of technology. Daadi takes to it like a fish to water. She starts living a happy life using technology. Now read—

Daadi called Neha- " beta these days, you are so busy with your mobile phone that you never find time to sit and speak with me"

Neha- " Daadi I am having online classes due to which I am unable to give you company".

Daadi- " no one bothers me since the pandemic took place. Your mother and father work from home and are always on their laptops. Their office never gets over. Sonu has ear pods in his ears the whole day, he never hears when I call him.

Your Dadaji is immersed either in his newspaper or is busy watching the news. Whenever I try to talk to him he ignores me. He prefers the company of the idiot box over me.

You were the only one who used to sit and chat with me but now you too find no time to sit down with me

 This useless mobile phone has changed the environment of this house".

Neha- " Daadi why do you call it useless, without this, we won't be able to exist today. You don't know how to use it so you find it useless. You too will get hooked to it once you learn to operate it".

Daadi- " I don't want to get hooked to this useless gadget. I am fed up sitting cooped up in the house. Since this lockdown being caged in the house has created problems for me.

I can't go for my morning walk or Satsang. My Satsang group can't visit me. I miss my friends and daily interaction with them".

Neha- " Daadi don't worry about interaction as you will be able to do it soon without getting out of the house".

Daadi- " It has been ages since I visited the temple. The only joy I get is the tintinnabulation of the temple bells at the time of the evening aarti".

Neha- "Daadi, don't worry you will be able to see and chat with your friends soon, that too without going out of the house."

Daadi- " beta I am fed up as my arthritis too is troubling me. My joints ache and all I hear is a cracking sound.

The doctor had told me to exercise to keep my joints from getting jammed but now I can't even go out. The gels and painkillers are doing me no good.

My eyesight too is deteriorating. Now I am unable to read much. My diabetes is also on the rise due to lack of exercise."

Neha- " daadi, take a chill pill soon all your woes will vanish".

""""""''''''''''''

Two days later—

An online delivery came and Neha rushed to Daadi's room carrying the pack.

Neha-" daadi, close your eyes I have a surprise"

As soon as daadi closed her eyes, Neha handed her the pack and then asked her to slowly open her eyes.

Daadi opened the pack and lo- behold there was a shining smartphone.

Daadi- " but this is a mobile, what am I to do with it?"

Neha took the phone and added a sim card. Soon the phone was ready for use.

She showed daadi a how-to video call. Daadi managed to dial her friend's number.

She was wonderstruck seeing her friend's face. It was fun talking with her friend.

Daadi was thrilled.

""""""""'''''''''''''''''':

This was just the beginning- 

Neha made a WhatsApp group of daadi's Satsang clan and another of her friend's group. She taught daadi how to WhatsApp and share chats.

Daadi was on cloud nine. She could now talk to people without going out.

Along with that Neha put a fitness tracking app on daadi's phone. 

Daadi beamed with

 happiness. 

"""""""""""""""""

It was five in the evening and daadi was ready in her walking gear. Her sneakers and stick in hand. As per instructions, she adjusted the tracker and walked into the house counting her steps.

Daadaji was amused seeing his wife counting her steps. He was happy that she had stopped pestering him with her complaints. There was peace in the house.

Neha felt happy that daadi was busy and happy. But it wasn't for too long.

Again she called Neha.

Daadi- " beta, I feel bored with just talking and walking the whole day. I want to listen to my bhajans, and watch religious movies."

Neha downloaded bhajans and put on earphones in daadi's ears so that she could listen to the music. Along with that, she showed Daadi how to use YouTube. Daadi clicked on the videos and Ta-Da- The video was her favorite - The serial Mahabharata.

Watching the serial Daadi was ecstatic like a small kid. Peace reigned with Daadi busy watching her serials or listening to music.

*"""""""""""''''''''

After a few days, the family members bore Daadi's tongue lashing. While watching her serials she wanted to eat something and Neha gave her a plateful of sprouts. Seeing the sprouts there was an outburst.

Daadi- " bahu you hardly bother to make proper food. You are too busy with your work. You just go for shortcuts. 

It is only fast food, salads, and soups that you feed us.

That gooey, sloshy thing called Pasta is your favorite. Full of vegetables swimming in that slosh."

Neha- " Daadi you do like the pizza slices we get from Dominoes. You relish Maggi then why are you complaining?

Bahu- " Mummyji, you have to keep a check on your diabetes so soups and sprouts are good for you. Daily we make roti-sabzi only once in a while we go for continental food"

Daadi- " evenings instead of proper milk tea you give me this weird concoction called " Dalgona Coffee". Along with that, you make those small cakes you call Muffins.

We had roasted gram and puffed rice with tea. Those were healthy snacks".

Everyone kept quiet as Daadi's tantrums were worse than a child's.

""""""""""

The family was excited as Daadi- Dadaji's golden anniversary was around the corner. Earlier they had planned to go in for a grand celebration but now due to the pandemic, they changed their plans. It had to be done in the house with only the immediate family.

They wanted to make it a memorable event.

The family knew Daadi had a passion for dancing and Dadaji a passion for singing. They planned to expedite their talent.

"""""'''''""

Dadaji and Daadi were woken up to the sounds of the aarti emanating from their living room. It was strange as daily there was pin-drop silence in the house. It looked like the house was devoid of residents.

The son and daughter-in-law would be confined to their rooms as they both were working from home and the children in their respective rooms attending online classes.

They came out of their room to be greeted by the entire family and then treated to a scrumptious breakfast where the whole family joined. They beamed with happiness seeing the family together. They enjoyed the laughter and banter after ages.

But that was just the beginning, both the grandchildren helped their grandparents in dressing up for the evening gala event. The couple had to renew their vows again. 

Daadi was dressed in a red Kanjeevaram saree with flowers in her hair and Dadaji looked smart and suave in a black Bandhgala coat with a crisp white pyjama.

They were made to sit on pouffe near the fire lit in the havan kund. The saptapadi was performed where the couple renewed their vows, a pandit recited the shlokas via a zoom call. They exchanged garlands and rings and this event was witnessed via zoom call by relatives and friends both in India and abroad.

As soon as the rituals were completed Daadi grooved to " Piya tose naina lage re" a retro Bollywood song. Dadaji stood mesmerized seeing his wife of fifty years grooving like a teenager to the retro number.

The minute the music ended Dadaji in full spirit sang a retro Bollywood number dedicated to Daadi-

"Aye Meri Zohra-Jabeen,

Tujhe Maalum Nahi

Tu Abhi Tak Hai Haseen

Aur Main Jawaan"

Daadi blushed like a teenager in the first throes of love when their eyes locked for a few nanoseconds.

Friends, relatives and their immediate family cheered for the golden couple. They toasted to the couple's good health, happiness and new beginnings.

Daadi called Neha and said " beta I take back my words that the mobile is a useless gadget. It is the most useful thing a person can possess. At least it helps to connect a person with friends and relatives all across the world without us being exposed to the virus. Three cheers for the mobile phone"

Everyone laughed as Daadi tried to click her selfie using the mobile camera.

Technology had brought about a change in her mindset and she wanted to enjoy her new innings.