Are we losing the charm of neighborhood?

24-10-19

There used to be time when everyone knew every other person in their neighbourhood. The society that time believed in sharing and caring as family ties were quite deep. Anyone passing through a crisis just has to call someone for help and help would pour in from entire neighbourhood. That was the bonding between people and though means in those times were less but happiness was never ending.

Also there was a charm of neighborhood in the society when people invested their time in building relationship in the society. It was a long term investment wherein no one bored of meeting and discussing issues, common problems and living happy go luck style.

In contrast today the idea of neighbourhood seems to have almost vanished from the Indian society. Me and myself are now the dominant theme as people do not even know who lives in neighbourhood nor they have inclination of wanting to establish a bond with them. 

The society that was interconnected has now shifted to social media messaging and with it the connect between individuals has become 'mobile' now. The internal cohesion in the society is fading as a large section of society wants to hide behind the thin wall of privacy and is afraid to interact with person living next door. 

The Hitavada interacted with noted social personalities on the issue of neighborhood to get at depth and find reasons for this shift in society and find out answer to overcome the problem.

Promote neighbourhood committees : Mayor Jichkar

Mayor Nanda Jichkar said : Yes it is a reality and one feels sad that society is losing the charm of neighborhood gradually as people are becoming more self-centric. People avoids interaction with the person living next door. Earlier it was like an extended family when neighbourers were joining for a tea and having interactions on social issues, she said.

There is need to regain the charm by forming neighbourhood committees of minimum 40 houses in every area. This will help to establish social connect among the citizens. Without having good relations with neighbourers we cannot achieve it, she felt further.

Youngsters engrossed in social media : Dr Bokare 

Dr Renuka Bokare, PRO of Kavi Kulguru Kalidas Sanskrit University said : Undoubtedly it is a stark reality as people have become self-centered while youngsters are engrossed in social media. The hectic work schedule and pressure of maintaining living standard in cities have also limited social involvement of the citizens. This communication gap has now even enveloped households where within a family conservation between parents, kids, grandparents is becoming a rare thing. Not a single word is uttered in home as if no one exists. Then what can one say about neighbourhood?  Good bonding, innocent love, give and take of Khavu specially pickles.... Instant help .... And of course ....Timeless chitchat..... enjoying together Holi, Ganpati, Navratri, Diwali festivals...As one thinks about the good old days, one is overcome with nostalgia.

We should take initiative by organizing a chitchat, enjoy festivals, promote open door policy....specially for new generation to have a good bonding with neighbours. There is immediate need to rejuvenate the neighborhood relations especially for our new generation.... the bonding, love, togetherness, inculcate the Sanskars by seniors, friends. This is our tradition, treasure of love ....We are missing ....Our unconditional love, respect,  communication and help will make neighbourhood relations healthy. I have experienced it. ONE Good FRIEND is equal to ONE Good Medicine! Likewise  ONE Good Group is equal to ONE Full medical store....!!

Stop giving cell phones to children : Dr. Tekade 

Dr. Sumant Tekade, a motivational speaker said : This is the sad reality of today. One major reason is television, mobile and now internet culture. Everyone is lost amidst this networked life and forgotten about outside connect. We ourselves are refraining us from utilising our time effectively. We prefer TV over relatives and cell phone over neighbours. Maintaining relations has become social obligation for many of us. We are under tremendous threat of losing social security, which was our hallmark.

To overcome this, let's stop calling TV as idiot box. No, it's not. We are idiots who have forgotten to how much extent should one watch it. One need to plan hammering about importance of neighborhood from elite speakers, social workers, spiritual leaders  and mass leaders. We should stop giving cell phones to our children from till they cross age of adolescence. Let's take them to parks, relatives, neighbors. Let them feel that it's awesome to interact with people face to face than on social media. It's not a matter of lectures, it's about making them feel it i.e. "Anubhuti".

Culture is slowly evaporating : Pramod Pande 

Pramod Pande, President of Janmanch said : It's important to invest time and energy for forging good relations with the people who live next door as they are the first to respond in times of emergency. People live in the same neighbourhood for a decade and they become an indispensable part of life. However this culture is slowly evaporating as we have become selfish and avoid sharing our success with others. Instead of interacting with neighbourers, people are now getting involved in the internet world. This has caused sudden collapse of the neighbourhood system.  We need to increase interaction with our neighbourers by organising small get together in the societies. Temples are the important points where all the residents can meet and discus and exchange thoughts and share feeling and develop a common bonding.

Charm of neighborhood is alive at Nagpur : Kumkum Sirpurkar 

Kumkum Sirpurkar, Senior counsel said : The most cherished memories of my childhood is happier times spent in the neighborhood. With change in times, situation too has changed and we have enveloped ourselves in solitary confinement instead of solidarity. Earlier there was only four houses in the area and now more than 200 families are living in the flats in the same area. Because of busy schedule and nuisance of mobile phones people are drifting away from reality and living in another world. There was time when people used to talk while going to market. However, charm of neighborhood is still alive at Nagpur and it is far better than Delhi and Kolkata. Earlier, women were going to attend Haldi Kumkum programmes in the groups and also lot of community programmes were organised at Ganesh Pandals. We need to revive these programmes rebuild the charm of neighbourhood. 

Stop living in virtual world : Supriya Iyer

Noted litterateur Supriya Iyer said : The emergence of flat culture is to be blamed for diminishing relations among neigbhours. Neighbourhood was an integral part of our culture and we grew up in a society that believed in common goal rather than self progress which become a norm now a days. 

As the doors of flats are getting closed, doors of the heart also closely automatically. The attachments to neighbours is also reducing with the passage of time. Changed lifestyle, television and mobile phones are the reasons for this. Now people are getting engaged in WhatsApp and Facebook and missing the charm of neighbourhood communication. If someone comes to our home we feel restless while we readily wants to connect with people far away from us on social media. We are steadily moving away from people close to us. In emergency, the neigbours are come to help us in emmergency and not those who are living far away from our home. Instead of living in the virtual world, we must interact with the neighbours to preserve the neighborhood culture.