When it comes to mobile phones and in particular the smart phones, Tambrahms (mamas and mamis in equal measure) have mixed feelings. On the one hand, they understand and appreciate that some of the aspects of the mobile phones have made their life lives easier and without it, it would be very difficult. On the other hand, they also feel that there is too much of mobile phone usage these days among youngsters which is not good.
And when it comes to adopting the use of the mobile phone, Mamas can be classified into 3 types:
- Digital Savvy Mamas: These mamas are those who show a lot of interest in adopting new technology or anything new in general. From the normal phone to Smart phone to use of computer/laptop to Tablets, these mamas are adept in learning quickly and using them extensively. These mamas in their prime would have transitioned from the Manual typewriter to Electronic typewriter and then to a Computer easily and smoothly because of their innate interest. Less than 10% of mamas fall in this category.
You can easily spot these mamas. They will be mostly on the phone all the time. At home if not on the phone, they will be reading “The Hindu” or other newspapers these days in digital version on their Tablets. They most likely watch IPL matches on the phone or their Tablets on Hotstar. They will be accessing YouTube for the all the Carnatic music content they want to listen/watch and are up-to-date with the online schedules of artists. For example, these mamas would have invariably subscribed to Sanjay Sabha channel and would be listening to Sanjay Subramanyam’s kutcheris online that too as soon as the content is uploaded. Even they do “Amavaasai tharpanam” themselves by referring to YouTube! They would have downloaded some health App and would be monitoring their vitals through the same. They attend Bhagavathy Sevai with their tablets and read Lalitha Sahasranamam from that.
- Analog Mamas: These mamas are exactly opposite to the Digital Savvy Mamas and have an allergy for technology or for that matter anything new. They are happy without technology or with very minimum use of technology. Mostly when typewriters were replaced by Computers, they would have opted for VRS. Usually 10-20% mamas fall in this category. They normally lament as follows:
“Enakku intha Smart phone ellam seri pattu varaathu… Aaru smart’aa illiyo, avaalukku thaan Smart phone venam”!
“Ippo yaara paathalum, eppovum oru phone’a nondeendu okkanthundu irukka!”
“Intha kaalathu kozhanthagal – Sivanoda kazhuthula paambu chutthindu irukume, athu maadiri eppa paaru oru ear phone’a maatitundu okanthindu irukkaa… Namma kitteyum pechu kidayaathu… namma pesarathayum kekkarathu kidayaathu…” Sivanennu irukarathu’nna ithu thaan ippo…!”
“Paiyyan romba insist panninaan – athanaala oru Nokia phone vechundu irukken. Call receive panrathoda seri!
“Aathula irukkara pothu land line’la thaan pesuven. Maasa maasam bill kattindu irukkom. Athula free STD calls irukke. Athayum consume pannina maadiri irukkum.
Even if they carry a Smart phone, if you ask something, “Enakku athellam theriyaathu. Neeye pannueden” nnu they will readily hand over the phone to you.
- Hybrid Mamas: Most of the remaining mamas fall in this category. They are neither obsessed with technology like Digital Savvy Mamas nor allergic to technology like Analog Mamas. Aathula oru kaal, Sethula oru kaal So these mamas use a smart phone wherever it helps. Athe samayathula phone’a appo appo karichu kotarathum undu.
Whenever they get a new phone, oru maasathukku doubt kette pakkathula irukaravaalla padithi eduthupuduvaa. So their sons and daughters usually direct them to their perans and pethis for clarifying their doubts with patience. Like we saw in the Malayalam film – At Home, these mamas also maintain a note book to write and keep the steps for using different features of the phone. The other thing they do is to of course change the ringtone to Ambujam Krishna’s Enna Solli Azhaithaal varuvaayo… or Alaipaayuthe… in flute and the caller tune to M.S.’ Kurai ondrum illai… or similar. And then change the phone wall paper with kula theivam picture.
Being Hybrid mamas, they don’t use the smart phone for everything. In the sense, they still continue to watch their favourite serials or IPL matches or kutcheris on TV, read the newspaper for news and so on. So much so, with the phone in one hand, Tata Sky remote in the other hand and TV remote in the shirt pocket and newspaper in the lap, these mamas at times resemble “Sankhu Chakra Gadha pani…”!
In their prime, they used to remember telephone numbers by heart. Now they know Tata Sky channel numbers by heart! These mamas first read the newspaper every morning and update themselves with all the “Actual” News. Then they “open” WhatsApp and go to the different groups like Friends group, Own Family group, Wife family group, Immediate family group, Walkers group, Music group, Tamil Group, Carnatic music group, Palakkad group, Ex-Office group, Temple group, Society/Colony group etc. etc. and get updated with all the “Fake” news that gets forwarded day in and day out.
Though they can download the App of the bank and check the balance in their accounts, these mamas prefer to visit the bank at least once a week to update their passbooks.
“Intha App, antha App’nnu ethara App’a vechukarathu phone la? Appo appo bank poyittu vanthaa walking aana maadiriyum irukkum, konjam time pass aana maadiriyum irukkum… Intha private bank ellam pass book tharathayum niruthiyutta. Athanaala naan SBI’la thaan account vechundu irukken. Aana nammallaa appoppo poi anga passbook update pannikanum. Regular’aa update pannaatta, romba neram aagum ella page’ayum print pannathu kulla!” And strictly they will not use the phone for making payments or purchases etc.… Yerkanave rate of interest Senior citizens’ukku romba kammi aayaachu… Account ’la irukara micha meedhi savings’ayum adichundu poyittaana?
These mamas now have subscribed to various OTT platforms like Amazon Prime, Netflix etc. and catch up with the new releases. Sitting in their base in Mumbai/Chennai/Bangalore/Houston/SFO these mamas make it a point to watch Trichur Pooram or their temple ulsavams live on YouTube or Facebook. And one of the important time pass activities for these mamas is to participate in Modi Vs Anti Modi debates on WhatsApp groups that get triggered when someone shares a pro or Anti Modi post!
Not just mamas, mamis can also be categorised in the above types except that for mamis one of the main use of the smart phones is to do Facetime or WhatsApp video calls with their perans and pethis in the US after they finish talking to their daughters on an everyday basis. So, whenever they get a new phone, the 1st thing they would like to know is how to make a video call.
Neenga entha type?
Tambrahmism 