It almost seems like a lifetime since I last visited the
zoo. Have been trying very hard, but cant recall when was the last time that I
actually set foot inside a zoo as a child. Maybe I can count a couple of visits
to sanctuaries, just to feel good that it was not so long ago. But then again,
even that was probably some 10 odd years ago.
Again thanks to Vritti, I am reliving my long forgotten
childhood. As I said earlier, we as parents try to teach our kids so many
things. But in fact they also help us in learning and re-learning important
lessons of life.
My first lesson from this trip was from a street side
hawker. Being new to the city, we were stopping in between to ask for
directions. Even though the smart apps on the smart phones were giving us all
possible details. But over the years we have learnt not to blindly trust their
smartness. So at one of such points, finding no one else on road, we asked a
street-side hawker where we need to go for the zoo. Now this man, was obviously
illiterate, was possibly not from the town and couple of other things that we
may assume to prove his ignorance. In short he did not know what a zoo was. So
we being the understanding intellectuals (pun intended) were trying to explain
– the place where they keep the animals. And after two minutes he looks at us
and says – ‘chidiyaghar’ jana hai?
And that one word was sufficient to remind us how far we
have come from our roots, in our quest of a better life. For next 10 minutes
both my husband and I were laughing at each other, and at our ignorance. A word
that we have grown up with. A word that used to have so many fond memories
attached to it. And we needed an illiterate man to remind us of it.
The next big lesson was awaiting us at the door of the zoo.
As soon as we entered. There were groups of people, all dressed up in some of
their best clothes, and had come to visit the zoo with their families. It was
like a family picnic. An occasion to look forward to. Not that all these groups
were from the lower strata of the society. There were quite a few from the
middle and upper middle class families. We even found a few with sophisticated
looking cameras and big lenses. A few others clicking pictures on their smart
phones. But the excitement of childhood was common in all.
This was second lesson revised. You don’t need 5-star
restaurants, designer branded clothes or gourmet food to feel the spirit of joy
or excitement. Not that I have anything against these things. I am not even
calling them redundant. I am only saying that a place where you pay a nominal
entry fee of Rs 10, can be equally exciting and fun-filled.
Not that this is a great revelation for any of us. It’s just
that these are some of the things we somehow forget in our rush of life. People
of my generation realize the importance of leisure in our lives. We take
special initiative and efforts to ensure that we get it. Even if we end up
paying little extra for it. Then be it visiting far off places for vacations,
travelling half-way across the city to try a new food joint or buying that
extra dress with an existing overflowing wardrobe. I repeat. I have nothing,
absolutely nothing against any of them. I have and will continue to indulge in
all of these. The only difference is that now I include ‘a visit to the zoo’ in
the same category. Just like I used to do during my childhood.
