Adieu telegrams....

1. "Father serious. Start immediately".

2. "Your sister's marriage fixed on 20 Jun. Arrive accordingly".

Such were the texts of messages that were received as telegrams in the not too recent past. Telegrams were usually deemed to be the harbingers of bad news - I used to have a friend who used to have his telegrams opened by the others as he dreaded bad tidings!

It all started in 1851, when the East India Company began the first telegraphic services in India with Calcutta as its base of operations. It metamorphosed into a well-knit network all over the country within no time. With the advent of the telephones, though its patronage had shrunk very minutely, it continued to be the backbone of communications for rural India till very recently. Moreover, the Indian courts used to accept only telegrams and telegram receipts as proof of evidence in civil or criminal suits!

But with the proliferation of mobile phones, SMSes and e-mail, the death knell of the telegram had been sounded and it was just a matter of time before the service came to an end.

The 162 year old telegraph service will enter the pages of history, after its yeoman service, on the 15th of July in this country.

RIP telegrams! You've done your job and that too exceedingly well. Mankind will always remember you with the attendant trepidation!!


Tailpiece.

What would be the text of the message that announces the death of the telegraph services?
......"Telegram expired. Your timely presence for its last rites expected"..... Er?

PS.

Occasions have been aplenty where the individuals expected to take action had preceded the telegram causing mirthful humour and at times, even embarassment!