Oral History By Chintan Patel

Chintan Patel

ENG 102

If we now think about 90 or 95 years ago, about life style, difficulties, entertainments we could say that that time people were living in a night and now we are living in a daytime.  However, that time their they tried to come to daytime and they did. Now we are living in very bright time that might change to night time.  I met my grandfather a week ago and I had discussion about his life.  He is 92 years old. He was born in a small village in a West side of India.  At that time women were giving birth at home, there were no hospitals or anything like that. Therefore, during her first pregnancy because of not having enough materials and smart people, no one could save her she died after five minutes of his birth.  After that because he was too young his father remarried to another women and she gave birth to three girls.  However, by that time he was five years old. However one day his stepmother had a heart attack and she died. Then his father decided to not marry any other women, because kids were good enough to take their selves.  As my grandfather was the oldest kids from three sisters he got to take care his step sisters.  Study or anything like that was just not an option for him. He had to go to farm, make food at home and take care of his sister that’s what he did till age of 11. After that his sisters were able to do house work and he start job at someone’s office as a servant. He was getting paid 5 cent per a day.  He did work as a servant till age of 18 then he starts his own store with his friend.   At an age of 19 he got marry with a girl who was three years younger than him. He worked very hard, because that time economy of India was very down.  It was not even increasing because British government took over it.  My grandfather says “sometimes we feel that we were doing business only for British.”  At the end of month had to pay 75% earning money to British and take home money only 25%.  I asked him some questions about it his life and at the end I had tears in my eyes.

                  I asked him what kind of entertainment you had that time? What you were doing in your free time? 

His answer first that “there was not a word free time exist at all.”  He said when I don’t have to go to work I have to repair my house. Everyday something was broking. In India we have three seasons’ winter, summer and Monsoon.  Therefore, he said every time we have to be ready for next season.  There was not electricity at all.  In order to fresh my mind I go out and sit with my neighbors that was kind of entertainment.  He said I love to travel around the world, but that time it was impossible for me to go. We had no money and there were many risks of security.  British might caught you and put you in a jail.  However he said everyday till he came to USA, he was wishing for a bright future.  He said he does get tired of life, but there was no any option. He said if I even think about to not do work, second image was coming in his head was his 5 kids. Therefore, there was not an any other option.

                  How you were doing everything without electricity? How did you feel when you saw it first time?

He said “the Sun was our light and candles were light for night.”  We always have to finish our work before dusk time.  If we don’t then we have to wait for a next day to sun comes out.  In summer we have to use hand fans.  We cannot even sleep in summer because of warm weather.  Have to sleep outside of home because inside we feel like lava.  During monsoon if its heavy rain then always has to be prepared might have to move for some days to another village. He said when he saw first time, he felt so amazing that how does it happen? He felt so relax to himself. During first days he always forgets to use light because he used to not use electricity.  He was happy because at least his children do not have to suffer same as he suffered.

                  Which life you liked better? Would you wish you to live in this kind of life that we are living now?

His answer was that he would live in these days life.  He said now we don’t have to do anything.  These all became very simply now for us to live. Now a human can be independent at certain age.  These technology help us lot. However, everyone can do what their like for entertainments.  They could hang out or play station, watch TV.  Now we can live our lives as we wish for it. However, at the end he said that now we have to be so secure in life anytime anything could happen. 

                  After his interview I thought that they came out in day light from night. However in these days we are living in a daytime very bright future world, at a same time there is also a dark night future too if things will go worse.