<p>I visited a post office after a very long time. Even as I was entering the post office I was greeted by a loud shout of ‘backside’! I stopped, puzzled and looked behind, and in front.</p>.<p>I realised that was the instruction from behind the counter to a customer making enquiries regarding the booking of large parcels. He was being asked to go to the rear of the building — the backside.</p>.<p>Nonplussed, I joined a queue. I had a speed post to do. Before me, there were two persons. One with a very large number of packets, the other was a soloist, like me — just one measly letter. I looked closely at the packets the person was carrying. It was evident he was from a bank.</p>.<p>This was no Sherlockian deduction — all the packets had the bank’s logo prominently emblazoned. I waited while he finished booking his post.</p>.<p>The person came with very exact cash in his hand to pay for the booking of the letters. I realised that while digitisation was happening elsewhere in the country, it had gone past the post offices. </p>.<p>Next was the solo packet gentleman. His cost for the speed post was very precise: Rs 41. I wondered if he could have the exact cash. He gave a Rs 100 note. “Change?” asked a voice from behind the counter. The customer said “No”.</p>.<p>From behind the counter came a Rs 50 note. I waited for the balance of Rs 9 to be given. So did the customer. “Next time, Sir?” “Yes”, said the customer. I got the distinct feeling that both the person behind the counter and in front of the counter knew that there would be no next time.</p>.<p>I presented my packet — and it was also Rs 41. I looked around for any UPI signage. There was none, despite all the Digital India campaigns. I gave a Rs 50 note and waited. “Change?” I shook my head. The postman looked at me. So I volunteered, “Next time?” He shook his head and said: “Stamp.” It was said more in the nature of a statement rather than a query. I wondered what this would mean.</p>.<p>He took out stamps of Rs 5 with the image of Deenadayal Upadhyaya and Rs 4 with the image of Homi Jehangir Bhabha. They are in my purse. Awaiting my next visit to a post office. In the meantime, if anybody needs stamps you know whom to ask!</p>.<p><strong>Check out the latest videos from <i data-stringify-type="italic">DH</i>:</strong></p>
<p>I visited a post office after a very long time. Even as I was entering the post office I was greeted by a loud shout of ‘backside’! I stopped, puzzled and looked behind, and in front.</p>.<p>I realised that was the instruction from behind the counter to a customer making enquiries regarding the booking of large parcels. He was being asked to go to the rear of the building — the backside.</p>.<p>Nonplussed, I joined a queue. I had a speed post to do. Before me, there were two persons. One with a very large number of packets, the other was a soloist, like me — just one measly letter. I looked closely at the packets the person was carrying. It was evident he was from a bank.</p>.<p>This was no Sherlockian deduction — all the packets had the bank’s logo prominently emblazoned. I waited while he finished booking his post.</p>.<p>The person came with very exact cash in his hand to pay for the booking of the letters. I realised that while digitisation was happening elsewhere in the country, it had gone past the post offices. </p>.<p>Next was the solo packet gentleman. His cost for the speed post was very precise: Rs 41. I wondered if he could have the exact cash. He gave a Rs 100 note. “Change?” asked a voice from behind the counter. The customer said “No”.</p>.<p>From behind the counter came a Rs 50 note. I waited for the balance of Rs 9 to be given. So did the customer. “Next time, Sir?” “Yes”, said the customer. I got the distinct feeling that both the person behind the counter and in front of the counter knew that there would be no next time.</p>.<p>I presented my packet — and it was also Rs 41. I looked around for any UPI signage. There was none, despite all the Digital India campaigns. I gave a Rs 50 note and waited. “Change?” I shook my head. The postman looked at me. So I volunteered, “Next time?” He shook his head and said: “Stamp.” It was said more in the nature of a statement rather than a query. I wondered what this would mean.</p>.<p>He took out stamps of Rs 5 with the image of Deenadayal Upadhyaya and Rs 4 with the image of Homi Jehangir Bhabha. They are in my purse. Awaiting my next visit to a post office. In the meantime, if anybody needs stamps you know whom to ask!</p>.<p><strong>Check out the latest videos from <i data-stringify-type="italic">DH</i>:</strong></p>