tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671536805876663540.post2963566959281487045..comments2023-10-31T20:33:26.817+05:30Comments on Past Continuous: LADIES WITH THE LAMP(S)Sucharita Sarkarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07802171314546508539noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671536805876663540.post-76841475492372125792009-07-23T23:58:40.003+05:302009-07-23T23:58:40.003+05:30A fine post on the contraptions Calcuttans used to...A fine post on the contraptions Calcuttans used to dispel darkness, which was a regular feature in the 1980s and 90s. I enjoyed reading it (like all your posts), but since candles don't read blogs, I would like to record that the candles of the world have been hurt to be left out of this little history on the war against darkness. After all, aren't they the foot soldiers who lay down their lives in the first hour of the battle? Let's salute the unsung heroes!Santanu Sinha Chaudhurihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15062744470522359652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671536805876663540.post-60336719502678805722009-07-22T08:52:12.396+05:302009-07-22T08:52:12.396+05:30I do remember the glass lamp which we referred as&...I do remember the glass lamp which we referred as'oil lamp' ,the hurricanes, kupi and candles.Cleaning the lamps was a ritual in every household I guess.I loved the smell of kerosene and we too had a green funnel ! Your blog should've been called 'trip down a memory lane'.Your blogs brings back such strong memories of sight,smell,emotion.....!lopahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18165334793515601254noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671536805876663540.post-63494757775066252542009-07-21T16:06:49.954+05:302009-07-21T16:06:49.954+05:30I stiil use lantern as Hazak lights invite more in...I stiil use lantern as Hazak lights invite more insects.In some forests generators in the evening are not allowed for it may distract the wild animals. The lantern glows instantly with no hazzards and gives sufficient light along with calls of jackals and Hyenahs.pradipwritenowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06321320863952722189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671536805876663540.post-58065368637298315272009-07-21T08:43:33.424+05:302009-07-21T08:43:33.424+05:30You bring back the pleasant memories. When studyin...You bring back the pleasant memories. When studying in 3rd and 4th standard, I used to stay in a small village where power cuts were regular feature. On the other hand it was power only for some time. So our source of light was only these lamps and lantenRajeshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10325697671806865458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671536805876663540.post-63929408987699309482009-07-20T20:49:52.022+05:302009-07-20T20:49:52.022+05:30Oh. All I remember of load-sheddings are candles a...Oh. All I remember of load-sheddings are candles and those emergency generators. Or whatever you call them.<br /><br />No lamp memory for me. :(Miss Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09973889004395750987noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671536805876663540.post-53299965977630826552009-07-20T15:27:33.370+05:302009-07-20T15:27:33.370+05:30What a wonderful post Sucharita .. I say that ever...What a wonderful post Sucharita .. I say that everytime though :P<br /><br />I seriously had no idea that so many types of lamps do exist!!! It was a gr8 read :) U wield magic with these nostalgic posts again n again :)Swaramhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06277282712431924263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671536805876663540.post-2059523085398923382009-07-20T06:46:44.396+05:302009-07-20T06:46:44.396+05:30We don't have power outages unless there are h...We don't have power outages unless there are huge thunderstorms or in the aftermath of hurricanes. That said, we do keep plenty of candles handy for animal happenings. It seems the squirrels like to chew on power. The transformers pop like fireworks and a block will go out at a time. Usually in the heat of summer.Aletahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05605214202876973830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671536805876663540.post-39734454782982574592009-07-19T21:43:43.715+05:302009-07-19T21:43:43.715+05:30We used to use the first two categories that you m...We used to use the first two categories that you mentioned, when we spend our vacations in our ancestral home in Palakkad, kerala. Electricity was a generally a guest in those times there. It hardly visited. In the few hours of the day that there was electricity ,the voltage would be so low, it was easier to blow onto the fans to make them rotate. ;-)<br /><br />We used to play cards in the light of these lanterns, since there was nothing else to do.....:-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671536805876663540.post-43725689552903243142009-07-19T09:41:11.764+05:302009-07-19T09:41:11.764+05:30That shed light. And i realise as i type that..tha...That shed light. And i realise as i type that..that 'shedding light' is different from a 'load shedding' ! What a difference !<br /><br />And then there are portions of life that are very different in the current scheme of things ! So much so that day to day objects of the yesteryears are sold in art shops !<br /><br />Hmm !Kavihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11426040093753611098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671536805876663540.post-56920928927793001132009-07-18T21:15:51.958+05:302009-07-18T21:15:51.958+05:30yes yes, i do remember the days of the lantern. We...yes yes, i do remember the days of the lantern. We still have a lantern, coz kerala electricity is unpredictable during monsoon. Even days on the power is out and even emergency lamps(with battery) doesnt come as useful.Nice psotZBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02447730465256670305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671536805876663540.post-220886432242933142009-07-18T20:25:48.577+05:302009-07-18T20:25:48.577+05:30Down memory lane and loving it!!
Every summer we u...Down memory lane and loving it!!<br />Every summer we used to go to Kolkata for our summer vacation and my strongest memory is sleeping under the mosquito net with a 'haat pakha'. My mashi would fan her small baby if the 'current' went off even while sleeping.<br />Such expertise! And I really would want to know the English word for 'kupi'.Aparnahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05527786215758008556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671536805876663540.post-3462029610476622492009-07-18T18:37:32.772+05:302009-07-18T18:37:32.772+05:30:) Wow! Thanks for the nostalgia inducing trip! We...:) Wow! Thanks for the nostalgia inducing trip! We used to depend on candles when we blessed with blackouts/power-cuts!<br /><br />The lanterns you described was a luxury which would be light only one or two rooms - the more important ones like the living room, or the dining hall!.<br /><br />The lanterns were used in the paddy fields. I never had to visit those in the harvesting seasons. But my uncle and older cousins would pack these things in the back of the bicycle when they go over to the paddy fields at night.Nonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13892851938328826870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671536805876663540.post-61967222705918239192009-07-18T18:06:22.128+05:302009-07-18T18:06:22.128+05:30Yes, kerosene lamps were the emergency power suppl...Yes, kerosene lamps were the emergency power supply but at the same time I remember holding burning candle and the wax melting on our finger.<br />That was terrific but then we started melting wax intentionally & enjoying.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671536805876663540.post-44106427856804702832009-07-18T17:37:20.957+05:302009-07-18T17:37:20.957+05:30And where is Borivli?And where is Borivli?♥ Brajahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07693196044262677095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671536805876663540.post-81031143274132360212009-07-18T17:36:54.355+05:302009-07-18T17:36:54.355+05:30I loved this Sucharita...and of course it's al...I loved this Sucharita...and of course it's all still going on :) I'm only surprised to hear that it *doesn't* happen in all of India....but as West Bengali wallah, I'm feelin' it :)<br /><br />And we also see another word (lanthan) that is now part of the English language. <br /><br />I'm reminded of the English show Goodness Gracious Me, and the regular stint they had of a younger man sitting on the verandah with his father, who constantly remarked how every word in English came from India :)))<br /><br />There's a bit of a dahl story on mine today, Sucharita :))♥ Brajahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07693196044262677095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671536805876663540.post-35698420198129705372009-07-18T17:28:57.701+05:302009-07-18T17:28:57.701+05:30Again a trip down the memory lane...i could relate...Again a trip down the memory lane...i could relate so well...as for the place to where i belong, is (in)famous for power-cuts.As it is now, there are generators to lighten the dark,, but days back then , "hurricane", 'lampha" were the rescuer...and i also remember only ladies handling the affair of lighting and cleaning the lamp, at times, i also remember my choto kaka and dadabhai cleaning the "Lampha" and "Hurricane" on sundays....Supriya Duttahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01503551055190735344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5671536805876663540.post-24451776504890989132009-07-18T17:26:23.994+05:302009-07-18T17:26:23.994+05:30Your wonderful post shed lots of light on the much...Your wonderful post shed lots of light on the much heard-of Kolkata load shedding experience. I had heard about this and thought it had something to do with the Communist mismanagement of stuff. I didnt know there was load shedding , even way back then ....like 25 years ago!<br /><br />I guess now that you are in Borivli, it must be a huge load of your back......Ugich Konitarihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15901335427613806798noreply@blogger.com