B. Thohii
In a drab, poorly ventilated and unfurnished room in a village, a Television with a Digital Satellite Receiver is set to an uncomfortable stand in one corner of the room. In front of the Television about two dozen of people both young and old – boys and girls, men and women – sat in cram almost like the crammed passengers in a general compartment in the train. In other words, the room is literally a small cinema hall. All sitting on the floor with the exception of first few comers occupying the seats, they all glue at the little idiot box. The audio from the TV and chattering of the viewers form motley croaky sound that fills the room giving no space to few attentive viewers to follow what is being said in the TV programme. Interesting, unmindful of the discomfort in seats they all fixed their attentive eyes at the Television and occasionally interrupted by burst of laughter in chorus in response to the comic scene in the TV programme. The show goes on till erratic supply of power interrupts their relish of the TV show. This is a typical sight of village folk towards Television as I experience in the village.
Thanks to IT Revolution that today Television can be installed even in remote village and receive a very high quality of reception through Digital Satellite Receiver, otherwise dream of Television in the village through cable or antenna would have continued to be a wishful dream. Now what is popularly called Direct-To-Home (DTH) Service serving menu of 30 plus free channels (DD) launched recently is perhaps a big pie of entertainment-opportunity that the villagers can relish. A small and portable metal-plate-dish with a Digital Satellite Receiver comes at a reasonable and affordable price. Until this revolution of an information technology Television has been an opportunity of the urbanites only and not for the godforsaken rural poor. Indeed, science and technology has broken the barrier of distance and isolation that now Television can be viewed even in a remotest village provided that power supply is there.
Having had experienced city life and culture I find it very thought provoking to experience how simple village folks are simply drawn to Television and at the same time amazed with the wonder science and technology can do. My curiosity and interest in watching Television with the village folk in a crammed room is peculiar in a sense that I’ am not so much into enjoying the TV programme either for interest or for information, but I’ am rather more driven by the motive of watching ‘human behaviour’ to this novel thing in the village. The fact is that I feel myself somewhat odd sitting uncomfortably with the village folk watching stale serials or Bollywood music masala (which I normally don’t watch) but what draws me to begin to see beyond this simple sight in my journey of ‘thought’ is about the sea of differences between this simple village folk and sophisticated city folk in every way.
Another interest that arouse me is the actual possibility of installing Television in remote village today which otherwise has been nothing more than a wishful dream for the village folk for years. To have an opportunity of Television in the village through cable service or antenna would have continue to be just a dream or could take many more decades to make it happen, if not impossible.
As a human being, both rural folk and urban folk are same and alike, but they are so much contrast in term of accessibility to material opportunity and in behaviour and attitude in life. This is what make so much different between them. The kind of interest and curiosity seen on the face of simple village folk – who haven’t had chance to view TV all these years – while watching Television is quite bothering in sight. They are simple folk who engage themselves in work all day and they try to find some times in the evening and on Sundays to watch Television. The point I’ am trying to drive home is that they are also people who do have interest and desire for leisure entertainment like fortunate people, but their fate had willed them otherwise. What a contrast of life for some people on one side of the world in compare with other people on the other! But the ironic is that they seem quite content.
There is a gap of difference between urban folk and rural folk in their perception and attitude towards Television in their lives. To city dwellers, owning a Television is a bare necessity of a household, a possession for leisure indulgence. It is a private world of a family or individual. Dropping in to a neighbour house to watch Television would be termed as crossing of line into another’s privacy and would be un-culture in behaviour. To drop in to a neighbour house inappropriately is unwelcome not to speak of sitting at stretch watching Television. This ‘behavioural attitude’ got to do with peculiar city kind of culture. City folk is brought up in such a kind of cultural milieu of individualistic world, impersonal relationship, busy and rushing lives, they fiercely guard their privacy. Home is a private den where one returns from rushing hours to put one’s leg up and switch on TV to relax with a toss of wine or snack or with what not. He is an individualist who fiercely guards his privacy just as the king of the jungle in his un-approachable den.
Contrary to this narcissistic culture of urban we see a complete different picture of culture in village, a culture of simplicity, personal, open and inviting. In the village owning a Television may be a great luxury to an owner but it is definitely not an ‘owner’s pride and neighbour’ envy’ like that of a famous commercial slogan of ONIDA TV. I say this because in village a Television owned by a household may be its exclusive possession in term of claiming right to ownership, but on the other, it is a community property in term of watching in group with neighbours and others. The sight of village folk in good number sitting in cram and watching Television like a big joint family tells a true story of village folk living a very simple, unsophisticated and unpretentious life webs by personal kind of relationship.
Dropping in to a neighbour or friend’s house for a chat has been the village traditional value, and it still lives on. In no term such sociability would be considered as uncultured or intruding into another’s privacy, because the kind of social relationship among village folk is web by kind of personal and consanguinity. In such social milieu in the case of watching Television also no neighbor would think of himself or herself as an intruder when dropping in to watch TV at a neighour’s house, nor would the owner think so. It is difficult to imagine that an owner of TV would attempt to apply the urban kind of privacy and bar any visitor from watching it. Television may be owned by few households but the beauty is that they are viewed by village folk in group without any prejudice.
In conclusion I must add that the actual possibility of installing Television in the village today may not be an infrastructural development that would better the lives of the people in economic condition; however it is undeniably a change that is visibly impacting their lives in opening up their encapsulation of mind and thought to novelty. It is serving as a window of opportunity to see the other side of the world they had never been aware of and never had an opportunity to see it. The villagers today being able to see, for instance, like the recent kind of grandeur opening ceremony of the 18th Commonwealth Game in Melbourne and the feat and passions of the great athletes is an evidence of that. It is a rare opportunity now made possible by Digital Satellite Receiver TV in a remote village. How more satisfying would it be to the village folk if power supply is more regular to fulfill their desire for a new lease of life in entertainment and relaxation in their lives.