TILL JUST THE OTHER DAY, it was quite routine to refer to the hearth as the beating heart, the very core of every home. And indeed, why not? After all the kitchen fire, no matter how simple an affair, was the one thing that no home could do without. Cooking and eating were not just necessities of life, they were also occasions when people interacted, and bonded with each other. Eating, and cooking meals, were almost community activities till the other day. Besides, the basic necessity of cooking, fire in some form, was often, in many cultures, imbued with a sacred significance. No wonder the cooking fire, with its associations of nourishment, holiness and conviviality, was regarded as the very nucleus of a home, and even, in the ancient days, of a community.

But those days, it seems, are fast changing. Cooking itself is an activity that is under threat of extinction, at least in the way that it was always known to be, historically. Open community fires, around which the clan gathered after skinning and cleaning the hunt of the day, have long been replaced by ever-smaller flames. Besides, many modes of cooking don’t use fires at all today. And with ordering in, eating out, and taking food on a monthly basis from a caterer, becoming so common these days, the kitchen fire is quite often unlit, for days on end. Naturally, therefore, one can no longer consider the hearth to be the centre of the house.

For a while, it did seem as though the television had replaced the kitchen in becoming the beating heart of the home, the place where the members gravitated to, naturally, and where much bonding took place, over songs and dances and serials that flickered on the screen. People of “a certain age” fondly remember those serials of the eighties of the last century, such as Hum Log, Ramayan, and Mahabharat, which were watched by the entire family, from grandparents to grandchildren, from the domestic help to their friends and relatives, as well. Much bonding took place while the family watched these offerings. Lasting memories were forged around the TV in those times, just as, no doubt, memories were forged in those long ago eras around the cooking pot.

But TV viewing is no longer what it used to be. After the advent of the numerous channels on the TV, nobody seems to sit around together to watch a particular serial or show. TV viewing is no longer a community activity. Individualism has triumphed again, for everybody has their own favourite show, which quite often they watch alone.

But one notices with interest, that there is another invention that is now replacing the TV as the centre of activity in a home. True, its penetration is still not as all--pervasive as TV or the kitchen fire is, but its reach is growing exponentially, in leaps and bound, among the literate sections, and the youth of the country. One is talking here, of course, of the personal computer. This thingie, whether as a desktop, laptop, notebook, netbook or an enabled cellphone, is as addictive as chai or coffee. True, it has a multiplicity of uses, and provides entertainment options, as well. Most have internet enablement. No wonder regular users experience acute withdrawal symptoms if the computer or the internet is down.

A typical day for an addict would begin with reading the morning papers on the Net, while having tea or coffee. Before moving on to other things, it is mandatory to check one’s emails. Many people are on social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter. They read what their friends have written, while updating them on their own doings. Besides, now that broadband connectivity is becoming common, many internet junkies download songs and movies during the night. If time permits, they watch the videos, otherwise they save them for later viewing. A lot of personal banking is done these days on the Net, too, saving much time and effort for all concerned.

Many white collar workers are online during their office hours. Indeed, certain professions depend heavily on the use of the computer and the Net. Writers, journalists, travel agents, hoteliers, businesspeople, bankers…where would they be without computers, and the Net? And yes, add columnists to that list. The point is, the computer is of extreme importance even in the smallest of offices. And yes, the water cooler, around which so much news and gossip used to be exchanged, is no longer a place for breaks at the office. This place is increasingly being replaced by the computer, through which jokes and news are exchanged. These mini-breaks are refreshing, as any hardworking Net user will tell you.

Once back home, one of the first things many householders do is get on the Net again. Often, if the commute back home is comfortable, they are busy with their laptops, winding up presentations, perhaps, or planning new projects. Many journalists have been known to write up their reports while being driven back from the news site to their offices. This is truly a time saving device, is it not?

Back home, the housewife, too, has been busy on the computer. These days, it is delightful to access cookery blogs, and get all kinds of recipes to try out on one’s salivating family. Indeed, the reading and writing of blogs of all kinds has become a rewarding pastime, worldwide. Many people routinely read specific blogs, just as our parents used to read specific newspapers and magazines, every day. Besides, Great God Google, the search engine, in any case provides the answer to all problems. Homework projects are easypeasy these days, with information so easily available on the Net. And at last, it has ceased to matter to those who have access to an internet enabled computer, that places like ours have no reference library worth the name. Vast amounts of information made available swiftly at the click of the mouse, to anybody who can enter a cybercafé, is indeed a sign of a revolution.

All Things Considered, it is no wonder that the computer is fast becoming the beating heart of the home in those households that have one. No wonder a computer crash causes such woe. Not only is one in danger of losing valuable information if one has not backed it all up, one is also under great stress, with computer withdrawal symptoms raging out of control to take possession of the computer owner’s mind!

It is no wonder that the Chinese, who have always been at the forefront of ferreting out ‘addictions’ of all kinds, are now treating “internet addiction” with electric shocks. Will this cure those who are addicted to the opium, not of the masses, but of the literate? Only time will tell…

MITRA PHUKAN