What is it that has changed your life dramatically, say in the last four years. The question has no wrong answers though. Any answer would be a correct one. Although, I have to admit, i suspect i know 90% of the answers. Cellphone,internet,Social Networking sites. The title of this article could have acted as a lead for many to pick cell phone as the answer. If you instinctively thought of anything beyond these three, I would like to know. Leave a comment.

Its been four year since I have been carrying a cell phone. One year of c131 Motorola, and three years of Nokia 1100, the one that I still I use. Yeah, you would be pardoned if you don't know them, they are out of production, both of them, now relegated to semi-antiquity.

I remember, one of my trend spotting friends used to weild a cell phone when incoming calls used to cost around Rs3 and outgoing was astronomical. A 100 odd Rupees of talktime for a recharge of 300plus. We have come a long way from there. So much so that we don't even momentarily think of balance while talking for hours together over the phone. Cell phone has replaced so many other things. Wrist watches find no values for themselves beyond a style statement and a fashion accessory. Digicams and analog cameras are disposable. Radios,MP3 players, newspapers,internet kiosks, STD booths, landline phones have been other casualities. My heart pines for the STD booth which lies vacant all the time before my college. He sells cell phone recharge coupons now. Its like selling Guns and Roses to your enemy. At dirt cheap rates.

Other casualities have been friends,why go to someone's place when you can just call him up for free. Emails killed Snail Mails. We used to write emails to friends, the postal department relegated to serve purists and villages. Cell phones came and killed personal emails. Its been ages since i wrote a lengthy email to a friend. I would rather call them up noe, it costs me peanuts anyway. Whether this has improved friendships or made us grow apart is only debatable.

 If you are lost in a new place, you would rather google earth than ask a stranger for directions. We have only hit the tip of the iceberg though. There would be more casualities. i can think of one which is quite pleasant- Ques for a majority of places will become a thing of past. Ques before ticket counters in railway stations and Movie theatres, electricity billing offices.  Imagine, the ticket inspector asks for a ticket and you weild your cell phone and show him an SMS from the indian railways. Brilliant noe?   The principal sends an SMS to your parents, telling them you are not in the class. Not so brilliant I guess.  Your BF/GF ditches you via an SMS? Heartwrenching and insensitive. You breaking up with your GF/BF by informing over an SMS? Quite convenient.

There have been two other casualities. The classic bollywood scene where lack of communication acts as a forerunner for such classic melodrama. The hero breaking all signals, surviving bumpoffs on busy roads to meet the love of his life while the train starts to chug, taking her away from our hero, hamesha hamesha ke liye. Haa, as if a chit of a cell phone can make a dent into the immense creativity of our script writers. We now have the standard insertions.  'Network not available'/Girl doesn't carry or forgot to carry cellphone disclaimers before we move onto the suspence filled melodrama. In a Drew Barrymore movie, 'Perfect Catch', she innocently asks the protagonist why he doesn't carry a cell phone and the guy gives out his reasons. The importance of the scene doesn't dawn upon you untill the last ten minutes of the movie when the  suspense grows as she tries to get to him while he is watching the superbowl live. 

Other allied casualities have been peace of mind and privacy. On a personal front atleast. It is scary thought to be available all the time. In the dating classes we are told, never be too available. You have to act unavailable sweety pie, that is the ground rule. Cellphones have robbed us of that luxury, we are always available, in a different  sense alright but available still. Who has the patience to pine for the loved ones anymore. you would have called him/her up even before you realise you were missing him/her.  But then again, it was only the first phase of the evolution. We became 24 hours available, to our friends and family  after the cell phones came. We became 24 hours available to the whole world after social networking sites came up. We tell the world first whenever something significant happens in our lives, who has time for individual intimations. I am told, Twitters, short telegramish blogs have become quite famous in japan or china.  As if we can ever differentiate. Twitters like, 'Just back from the Loo. Feeling mighty relieved' are quite common. We seem to be updating every little move of our life for the world, without battling an eyelid.

Cellphone seems to be the new vice of my life. Inspite of all the conveniences and good things that it has bring to my life, I am afraid it has changed the way I lead my life, at times for the worse. Unwillingly and unknowingly alright but it has. 

Tailpiece: From next onwards, i will conveniently be politically incorrect. No more him/her or humanitykind anymore. We will stick to 'her' and womankind. To cell with the menists. Cell, is the new hell you see.