looking back

when i look back i really wonder. how far have we travelled? i vividly remember. i was in the 2nd form those days--equivalent to the seventh class of now-, aged 8 or nine. there was a smallpox epidemic in vizianagaram. in the day time there were huge rallies to the gramadevata temple. small pox is known as ammavaaru ofcourse. in the night the muslims were roaming in groups shouting loudly and marking all the houses with their palm prints in saffron colour. all thix to ward off the dreaded desease. medicines were frowned upon. schools also were closed for some days. when they reopened we went back to school only to find some of the seats in the classroom empty. can my children and grand children imagine such things happened? india progressed a great deal did it? i some times wonder. i actually know of instances when the dates for an international scientific conference were fixed after consulting the panchangam and an astrologer. well it takes all kinds to make the world