Balcony Memories

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December 31, 2023

In my childhood days, I remember playing with a red formula car by racing it on the railings of my balcony. I used to run from one end to the other racing my car unaware of all the things happening around. And today I sip my hot coffee along with the newspaper and stare in distress at the workers closing the balcony of some neighboring flat.

Balconies have been an integral part of the Indian culture.  They were the reason for the rejection of many flats as the prospective owners didn’t find a balcony ! People look for spacious balconies be it for their lil ones to play or to have some privacy or maybe have a small garden for the nature lover within. In India, one can recognize a flat by the characteristic balcony. One would often hear people say “Woh 3rd floor pe jo laal waala balcony hai woh mera ghar hai… (That red balcony in red on the 3rd floor is my house)” 

From a child to an adult, people have spent some good amount of time in their balcony. Hence, Balcony Memories are cherished even today by many around the world. The balcony has been used for various day to day, exciting activities. Some of which are :

• The young Sachins and Dravids making it(balcony) the Wankhede pitch and toiling hard to perfect their cricketing skills.

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• Mrs. Mehta talking about last night’s party with Mrs. Sharma across the balcony ensuring that everyone knew how the party was !
• The subziwaala (vegetable vendor) putting the veggies in a bag attached to a rope hanging from the 4th floor balcony. 
• Roma and Satish testing their ‘chemistry’ from the balcony. 😉
• In some extra exciting cases, balconies are best for eloping with your loved one and getting married ! (Idea courtesy: Bollywood) 😛
• Balconies were used to spread the news of joy and sorrow. They have been an integral part of a typical Indian family.

I have been lucky to have good spacious balconies everywhere I had stayed. I remember trying to fly a kite from me fourth floor balcony, pretending to be a train driver with balcony as my engine, pulling a bucket full of water during the water crisis, a third umpire for the kids playing cricket below and yes a Cricket Pitch too. For me, balconies are part of some great events that have happened.

Today, these balconies are vanishing at a fast pace. Those fancy grill balconies are being turned into closed rooms as people expand their houses. Balconies have now become a luxury. People want the cool air of the Air Conditioners in their house rather than the fresh air outside. They prefer a bulb to be lit up instead of the mighty Sun.  I can imagine, few years from now, balconies would have become a thing of the past. One would have to pay the price for a spacious balcony in their house.

But in this, they are forgetting the wonderful, always-cherished Balcony Memories will be missed greatly by them..