OLD MAN – Disappearing in the Good Old days

Suddenly it is the end of yet another December - We realize that within a blink of an eye, 2006 is on its back. Today is the last day of the year, 31^st of December, and I can still recollect those days when we used to anxiously wait for this day to make an OLD MAN and place him in some corner of a road, trying to stop people and asking for financial help for his funeral.(That money always helped us to buy a new cricket bat or a football) It was not for those few pennies that this was being done but it was more for all the fun and also as a part of competition so as to make the best OLD MAN among all.

It was really a pleasure to watch kids getting together at every street corner with an OLD MAN and using bamboo sticks or ropes to stop people and ask for money. Not forgetting the fear that was always present in the minds that the cops may visit us any time and punish us for the act.

But the world is moving too fast and people are getting more and more busy. Nobody has time for such things today and slowly and slowly the flavor of such joyous thing is moving out of the scene. I happened to travel to Margao today with one of my friend and we were surprised to find only two groups with OLD MAN present on the entire stretch from Quepem to Margao. We did stop at both the places, I even clicked a pic of a group.

These guys were fearless to stop vehicles on the highway and ask for money. Looking at them in a joyous mood full of excitement to stop the vehicles, in a flash, I remembered my childhood. Those good old days when we too used to make an OLD MAN, stop people on the road, hide the OLD MAN and disappear from the scene when the cops took a round, then coming back with the OLD MAN, singing the popular song Old McDonald had a farm, then jus before the going for the midnight mass burning the poor fellow and finally counting the days collection.

It was a way of burning all bad thing of the old year and making a new beginning, trying to burn all our bad habits and practices and thus hoping to clean the slate and start a new chapter in a better way.

But at this moment I really fell sorry for the coming generations who might not even know of this wonderful tradition and may yet again miss another great day full of fun and joy. Few years down the line we may not see any OLD MANS in the street corners. We too are changing with the fast moving world, but why are we putting such great and joyous practices in the grave? Will the children of the future know about this OLD MAN? Will they ever get a chance to experience this fun? Or will the last day of the year be spent as just another ordinary day? All these questions remain un-answered as the OLD MAN quietly walks away with those good old days.