E-Paper
Spice of Life | Enduring power of print in digital age
The army has taken us to places known and unknown, far and wide, but never a station where newspapers are not able to reach us.
Aastha Bagga
“Newspapers are not just for reading, they are just as essential as a bath,” my mother would say on seeing me hastily turning the pages, encouraging me to slow down. My father would go on to recapitulate his method of browsing through the newspaper, that started with the headlines to get an overview of the crucial stories, moving to subheadings to identify topics of interest, critically examining them, going over them section by section, and sometimes making notes of new words that he would casually drop amid a conversation.
On Sunday, my parents had longer newspaper reading sessions, sometimes stretching to our breakfast table and accompanying them to bed, finishing barely before their afternoon siesta. As a child of the pre-internet era, I always wondered how all the news of the day would magically fit into a single newspaper, exactly, each day, every day. From a reader by force to a reader by choice, I have come a long way, thinking of which a silent prayer escapes my lips, for I would not have been what I am today, had my parents not inculcated in me the habit of reading the newspaper.
Newspapers for my home have always served as a quintessential repository of information, functioning as a vital conduit for disseminating news, as per everyone’s liking, diverging spheres, be it political, cultural, sports or even entertainment, something for every member of the house; of varied age and preferences. I remember how my grandmother would use the glossy magazine sections of the newspaper to cover her diary, which had all the monthly grocery details. My grandfather ardently supported reducing waste, and believed in giving old newspapers a new life.
From packaging delicate crockery in old newspapers, to making paper boats on rainy days, he taught me numerous ways to use old newspapers by making papier-mache art, collages, and even creative gift wrapping. Our domestic help misses no corner to line with the old newspaper, precisely folded to fit the desired nook and cranny, be it the kitchen cabinets; books rack, or even our wardrobes. The pending newspapers are handed over to our vegetable-seller whose wife creates paper bags with them.
The army has taken us to places known and unknown, far and wide, but never a station where newspapers are not able to reach us. The crispness of the pages, the pleasing flutter at every turn, the gratifying scent of the ink, creates a sensory connection with the newspaper every morning. There are days when I have to rush through the newspaper due to professional and personal commitments, but weekends are my time to read through every column I missed in the week.
Over the years, newspapers have not just been a source of the latest information, but have also taught me important life lessons and habits like gardening and preparing single-pot meals. The newspaper columns have made me laugh during my lows; uplifted my spirits whenever I felt disillusioned. I credit my knowledge of countless gourmet recipes and about places known and unknown, to the newspapers.
Newspapers are in fact cementing their relevance in my life even in today’s digital age. It has been rightly said, “Newspapers are the candles that light our world.”
bagga.aastha23@gmail.com (The writer is a Hoshiarpur-based freelance contributor)
