Oldest memory I could recall about election is something related to cinema. Those days only 2 TV channels were there and movies were rare commodity. But during election time they used to cancel all regular programs and in between the election news there were some Hindi movies.
I hardly opt to sleep at afternoon (till Now). One fine day, just after a afternoon nap, I have found somebody has painted a big beautiful hand just on the wall of the next flat in front of my house. I am always very poor on appreciating art but that was colourful, so colourful that my brain still reserves some disk space for it.
Once Rajiv Gandhi came to Kalindi and he came in a helicopter (I doubt about it. I am getting old. Not sure about helicopter). That rally was in the field (Plot -er Math) and roof of all the houses surrounding by were completely occupied. Me, father, mother and my grand ma all were there. The distance was too far and I have no memory that I had seen Rajiv gandhi in my own eyes. Might it be just because that time I did not recognise Rajiv Gandhi. Truly speaking today's children are 100% smarter than us. That time at least I hardly had any relation with politics or cinema star. We used to live in our small world.
This year Maggi celebrating 25th anniversary. I am 26+, almost reaching 27. But I push my memory hard to recall when for the first time I tasted Maggi. Now-a-days it is almost like bread in our house. Definitely a big fight is waiting in house if I find I am hungry and we don't have Maggi. But it took some time for Maggi to penetrate our mediocre life style. I feel there were some dramatic changes in our life style in India within a very short span. I could very clearly recall that day when we got land line for first time. Just after they installed everything there was power cut in our house. All on a certain that phone started ringing leaving me much surprised about how it is ringing in power cut. I had no clues it has got no dependency with electric signal. I have seen so many electronics goods after that, handled some of them. But somehow never got the same feelings of surprise when I headr that ring tone in complete dark room. Then we had cordless, after that my father's big Nokia cell. All on a certain changes came very frequently.
Election is always a scary thing in my mind. Election meant a holiday for my parents and I can not go out side the house on that day. We are truly democratic a country. A child can not play outside on election day because somebody may be awaiting with a Bomb for him. However good part of election was, my father used to collect enough stock of snaks and sweets for that day, anticipating there might be some problem on the polling day.
I am always fascinated about the election results. It is almost like a thrilling game. Somebody is wining & some body is loosing. Those were the post Babri era. BJP was emerging in national politics though they had hardly any impact on westbengal. Then the era of high political instability started in Central. Election almost became like an annual event. The most important state political event we have witnessed might be birth of Trinuamul Congress. Obviously 2001 was the most interesting election results before 2009. I could clearly remember I have watched TV almost for 14 hours that day. But that time no regional channels are there to cover them, Is Etv is there that time? Confused!!!!!. I could remember the advertisement of Aaj tak on that election. "Kya Fireband Mamata 25 saal ki communist government ko hila payegi??????"
"History repeats himself. But only in history book". Again we are in a very interesting election phase. Great Indian political drama with 1.2 Billion people deciding the future of world largest democracy. A complete non political guy is still that much curious as he was to see Rajiv Gandhi. Still I am that illiterate in politics as I was by that time. Somehow that fascination is till there....
