Ever heard of something called a telegram? No, we're not talking about the messaging app you use to share memes with your friends. We're talking about the OG way people sent quick messages across long distances before the internet, smartphones, or even telephones existed. This is the story of the telegram in India!
The British Beginnings
Back in the 1850s, the British East India Company started laying down telegraph lines across the country. The first one was a 30-mile stretch between Calcutta and Diamond Harbour. By 1854, the service opened to the public, and the first telegram was sent from Mumbai to Pune on April 27, 1854.
Imagine the excitement! This was like the first ever text message! Telegrams soon became super important. They carried all sorts of news, good and bad – births, deaths, wedding announcements, job offers, and even news about wars. In fact, telegrams were so crucial that they helped the British maintain control during the revolt of 1857.
"Taar Aya Hai!"
Telegrams were so common in India that they even made their way into Bollywood movies. A typical scene would involve someone shouting, "Arrey Bhagyawan Dekho Taar Aya Hai!" which basically meant, "Hey, lucky one, look, a telegram has arrived!". It was a moment of anticipation, because you never knew what news the telegram would bring.
The End of an Era
But, as you can guess, telegrams eventually became outdated. With the rise of smartphones, email, and the internet, the telegram service just couldn't keep up. By 2013, it was costing way more to run the service than it was making. So, on July 14, 2013, BSNL, the company that ran the telegram service, decided to shut it down for good. On the last day, people flocked to telegraph offices to send final messages to their loved ones. It was a nostalgic moment, a farewell to a piece of history. One person even booked the last telegram from the Central Telegraph Office in New Delhi.
Telegrams Today
Even though you can't send an actual telegram anymore, they're still a part of our cultural memory. The telegram may be gone, but it's definitely not forgotten. And, of course, there's the Telegram app. Launched in 2013 by the Durov brothers, it gives Gen Zs a space for unfiltered communication. Who knows, maybe it's a spiritual successor to the original telegram, connecting people in a fast and simple way.
