In today’s world, topics of daily discussion are climate change, depletion of the ozone layer, soil erosion, deforestation and so on. But we instantly switch on the air-conditioner to manage these hotly debated subjects.
Back in our growing-up years, the air-conditioner was a luxury. Today’s children may argue that we probably switched on our ceiling fans, a luxury item then. How did we cope with the heat then? Oh, you probably drank chilled water from refrigerators! Another luxury device!
A solo table fan for the family in the living room, an earthen pot to keep the water slightly cooler, wet cloth wrapped around steel containers again to keep the water cool and small handheld fans to wave back and forth to create a draught of air were some of the simple solutions employed then. The elders and children were engaged in physical activities and complained of the heat, but these simple steps offered some succour.
