FUTURE CITY SERIES: PART 10
DREAMING THE FUTURE
‘We have our Dreams,We had our Dreams, But… We love Reality more’
An Enchanting trip to “Natureo-Technocity”
BY
ANKITA CHAKRABORTY
Broadly widening
my eyes, I see, yes I see a ‘New City’ around me. The city which in some instance
portrays an image of a ‘oh--so wanted’ place, a place which everyone must have
thought or wished of. Such a World might have surely come in the minds of
people, in their most cherished & enthusiastic dreams, of residing in
places with the most modern and luxurious forms ever available, beholding them
all. Daydreamers too must surely have tasted the ‘slice of’ refreshing thoughts
of an almost perfect city, a city which would quench every drop of thirst for
those dreaming ‘Big’ amidst the ‘unwanted world in old age’ or ‘frowning look of the boss’ or
‘the boring lectures in class’ - Yes, in fact, the harsh reality of life.
But do dreams if turned to Reality, ultimately fulfill the innermost latent desires? Spare few minutes to think… Well, when done, can put on tiny steps on my ‘Natureo-Technocity’. It is indeed here where a new revolutionary journey begins for me.
But do dreams if turned to Reality, ultimately fulfill the innermost latent desires? Spare few minutes to think… Well, when done, can put on tiny steps on my ‘Natureo-Technocity’. It is indeed here where a new revolutionary journey begins for me.
The very first
step in the New World seemed to transform me into a new being. The city spaces
provide with its special aura. Magnificence of its aura, majesticity of its
structures, lavishness of its sceneries makes me wonder the spellbinding art
behind such a creation. Every nook and corner reminds me of ‘Cities I ever
dreamt of’. The very picture before me was that of miles and miles of expanse
of land sculptured almost judiciously
with the perfect ‘tint’ of a painter and ‘tilt’ of an architect. A ‘Green Carpet’
like shining length of road was laid over the city as if welcoming guests for
overlooking at its Gallant form. I step my feet in it and start discovering the
very essence of my ‘Natureo-Technocity’.
‘Natureo-Technocity’
is not only filled with wonders but it did offer a chance to understand two
very interesting lives residing in it. As I started walking on the delicate
carpet-like road, I felt the glimpse of an entirely different world, left
totally amazed, as I stood watching the Giant Skyscrapers almost thrice the
height of ‘Burj-Khalifa’ encircling the entire
city as far as my vision was possible. A
ring closer to the centre had
enormous sized Villas placed one over the other as if someone made them in the
manner the way people built ‘City Towers’ in their phones. Such were attached
to hanging bridges which acted as communication networks connecting the entire
city.
The next innermost circle comprised a huge semi-floating ‘Earth-like’
oblique structure which was surrounded by deep greenery on all of its side. Oh,
a noticeable point was that every structure had greens on both of its ends.
This reminded me of a ‘Delicious Foot-long Veg. Sandwich’ at the ‘Subways’
which never ever is complete without the sumptuous fresh greens in it at regular
intervals. Foodies have queerest bases of comparison and I, being one, could
not help but compare!
Those exciting,
extraordinary scenery before me made my jaws extend to the maximum stretch as
ever possible, just in a manner you are short of time but have to finish the
‘Zinger Burger of KFC’ in just very few bites!!! Hmm… before I could more and
more expand my jaws and wonder where exactly I am, to my earnest surprise, a
Helipad appeared before me. The most unusual part was the ‘Driver’ who without
so much of a word, opened the door of the back seat for me. Accordingly,
without a word I stepped in. And there started my ride to the ‘Future city’.
A female voice was audible, so I could
apprehend it was none other but a woman's.
The striking part was that I was not able to see her face as her flowing hair
seemed to cover it completely. I could only see my sideways from the vehicle as
the front had no transparent glass or so or might have a very tiny one for the
Lady driver to see or else how could she even drive, say! The Driver strongly
recommended me to put on my seat belts and I followed all her instructions
religiously. The vehicle moved on the road but with time it gained momentum and
started flying high in sky.
Peeping through the side-windows, I could see all
the different architecture of the buildings surrounded by greenery and patches
of water bodies. It made me think instantly ‘How Green is My Valley betwixt the
Gigantic Infrastructures’. Mother nature seems to guard the anthropogenic
creation with its own delicate hands.
It could be apprehended that the new technologies developed have unlocked massive streams of data about cities and their residents and turned it to a unique civic laboratory-a place where technology is adapted in novel ways to meet local needs. There was an almost equality in the city spaces as compared to what we see, slums and neglected housing of the downtrodden, were not present here. Huge lake seemed to guard Natureo-city all throughout. The presence of Nature and Man’s technological midas touch in close harmony with each other can never be better viewed than this. The vision of such can undoubtedly be named as the ‘Perfect future city’. Similarly, or rather, I was more astonished to see that the Driver was nothing other than a ‘Robot’, you actually see in movies!!!
It could be apprehended that the new technologies developed have unlocked massive streams of data about cities and their residents and turned it to a unique civic laboratory-a place where technology is adapted in novel ways to meet local needs. There was an almost equality in the city spaces as compared to what we see, slums and neglected housing of the downtrodden, were not present here. Huge lake seemed to guard Natureo-city all throughout. The presence of Nature and Man’s technological midas touch in close harmony with each other can never be better viewed than this. The vision of such can undoubtedly be named as the ‘Perfect future city’. Similarly, or rather, I was more astonished to see that the Driver was nothing other than a ‘Robot’, you actually see in movies!!!
I decided to get down near the colossal
skyscrapers and explore them while walking. Accordingly, I landed near an airport.
Visiting places and exploring had always been my passion, so, my keen desire
was now ready to get accomplished. So I roamed about. Nothing till date had I
seen so swift except the ‘Racing Games’ on video games/mobile
phones/televisions. But here, life seemed too the same.
People, their vehicles are all always in a hurry as if a single ‘stop’ would bring a total ‘full-stop’ in their lives! Yet, traffic jams were hardly seen perhaps due to the numerous roadways, highways and over-bridges, connecting brilliantly almost as ‘Networking one achieves in Facebook’. Relating such and walking past with pace, I accidently clashed with a woman somewhat 4-5 years older than me. I was almost about to curse myself at wasting her 4-5 precious seconds, surprisingly, the woman greeted me with a sweet smile and asked whether I am new in ‘Natureo-technocity’. People are extremely welcoming is all that I could say. Storing her picture in my mind, I kept moving.
People, their vehicles are all always in a hurry as if a single ‘stop’ would bring a total ‘full-stop’ in their lives! Yet, traffic jams were hardly seen perhaps due to the numerous roadways, highways and over-bridges, connecting brilliantly almost as ‘Networking one achieves in Facebook’. Relating such and walking past with pace, I accidently clashed with a woman somewhat 4-5 years older than me. I was almost about to curse myself at wasting her 4-5 precious seconds, surprisingly, the woman greeted me with a sweet smile and asked whether I am new in ‘Natureo-technocity’. People are extremely welcoming is all that I could say. Storing her picture in my mind, I kept moving.
The skyscrapers were centres of economy, polity as there beholded
offices of all kinds and also administrative centres. Lifts operated so swiftly
that I doubted the people inside to faint at least once they step on it! Oblong
structures representing different industries were present.
I wondered from where the raw material would come, may be from the cities past the huge lake- specialised growth of raw materials. A car manufacturing industry came close-by and on entering, I saw a band of Robots working. It was completely mechanized with just very few human beings to have a look at it. Several more steps and I found the most modern ‘Outdoor Playground’ where kids were provided with all forms of outdoor games. Hit a ball hard and in no moment it comes back to you again like a Boomerang!. Everything was computerized and a complete monitoring was present so that parents don’t have to worry about their wards and catch hold of them there.
I wondered from where the raw material would come, may be from the cities past the huge lake- specialised growth of raw materials. A car manufacturing industry came close-by and on entering, I saw a band of Robots working. It was completely mechanized with just very few human beings to have a look at it. Several more steps and I found the most modern ‘Outdoor Playground’ where kids were provided with all forms of outdoor games. Hit a ball hard and in no moment it comes back to you again like a Boomerang!. Everything was computerized and a complete monitoring was present so that parents don’t have to worry about their wards and catch hold of them there.
Zenith of technological advancement
amazed me to such an extent that my eyes could well be compared to the Bengali
term of ‘Chana bora’ (protruding eyes). In
spite of all the throbbing, resulting out of excitement to explore more and
more, the very sobbing image of a young boy aged around 5-6 years, diminished
it. Amiably enquiring of his behaviour, he confessed that he wanted his parents
to be present at the ‘Football Tournament’ to be held that very day, but, they
simply refused, saying it would be a waste of their time and would watch the
recorded game some other day. It was the boy’s first ever tournament,
naturally, his innocent expectation was nothing other than the presence of his parents.
Though very few elders, I mean real few in numbers were there, most of the kids
were made to be okay, but none can help but this poor, little innocent soul. To
change his mood and bring back his jovial side, I cracked some silly jokes,
don’t remember them though!! Believe me, I felt a dissimilar happiness, which I
had not experienced until this day.
This incident somewhere in my heart made
a drilling impact. How well I thought everything around me was- the ultimate
one! Was I wrong to be so much assured? Don’t know… I decided to move to the
next circle where I had earlier noticed the residential villas.
While moving
through the elevated highway, something striking caught hold of my sight. I
could see several Robots in a swift mission of drilling land and some entering
underground, managed by few human beings. At my eager pondering over the very
site, made the Driver, this time a human, thankfully, for not taking the shit
out of me of what I faced knowing the reality in the previous ride, explained rigorous
drilling takes place where all garbages and other wastes are dumped and covered
so as to maintain the ‘Aesthetic Beauty’.
How can people throw such harmful, intoxicated wastes without even thinking of the proper ways of disposal; hit my mind. And my questions hit him, but he seemed to appreciate more of the outward cleanliness and totally ignorant of the infectious injection they are inserting in Mother Earth! My thoughts soaked away for a moment when I was travelling past the narrow thickness of greenery, I could hear sweet, chirping sounds of birds, a blithesome view of the silent patches of water and feel the tender welcome of the trees and plants.
How can people throw such harmful, intoxicated wastes without even thinking of the proper ways of disposal; hit my mind. And my questions hit him, but he seemed to appreciate more of the outward cleanliness and totally ignorant of the infectious injection they are inserting in Mother Earth! My thoughts soaked away for a moment when I was travelling past the narrow thickness of greenery, I could hear sweet, chirping sounds of birds, a blithesome view of the silent patches of water and feel the tender welcome of the trees and plants.
The villas were unique in their own way. The
Settlement system followed more of Circular pattern. Lavish 4-5 storied villas
occupied the major portions followed by some 2 storied villas and normal villas
and big houses. Playing a guessing game with my mind, I made it up that such a
variation in the size of residence might be due to the differential occupation of
people. But what struck the chord was that, there were no
broken/small/neglected households. Everyone around must have a shelter on their
head.
Somewhere, just close to the main roadway was seen a wide expanse of heap almost the size of a ‘plateau’. To my utter shock, it had nothing but all forms of domestic waste laid, smelling too foul. Catching the glimpses of lavishness, comfort for all on one hand and the profuse waste-dumping on the other, a mixed response began clinging. Sometime later, I got down and started my ‘ever act of exploring’. Looked at the settlements- they had all the ampleness, abundance, material comfort ever imagined of in life. Sizes differed, but they were planned with pure accuracy. Cleanliness was well-maintained with dump-boxes at almost every nook and corner. There were shopping centres, amusement parks, entertainment buildings catering to the recreation of all.
Somewhere, just close to the main roadway was seen a wide expanse of heap almost the size of a ‘plateau’. To my utter shock, it had nothing but all forms of domestic waste laid, smelling too foul. Catching the glimpses of lavishness, comfort for all on one hand and the profuse waste-dumping on the other, a mixed response began clinging. Sometime later, I got down and started my ‘ever act of exploring’. Looked at the settlements- they had all the ampleness, abundance, material comfort ever imagined of in life. Sizes differed, but they were planned with pure accuracy. Cleanliness was well-maintained with dump-boxes at almost every nook and corner. There were shopping centres, amusement parks, entertainment buildings catering to the recreation of all.
As I was going to another section I
collided with an elderly lady. Accepting profuse apology, a sweet smile & a sweet
voice inquired if I was a new entrant. I nodded in agreement. She invited me
to her apartment just a few blocks away. We went there riding in her; what
appeared to be a bi-cycle fitted with enough seat for two passengers which
drove like a dream.
Entering her flat had a dream-like effect on me. I just could not stop gawking at the most beautifully, aesthetically done interior. Suddenly from nowhere some snacks & tea arrived; carried by a sweet gamine like robot. It welcomed me & served me with snacks. We had a nice chat about one & sundry. She told me stories about how the Earth-shaped structure at the centre of the city had all religious idols and beliefs located in one place so as to remove the difference among people out of religious sentiments and to preach equal love for all religions.
I inquired after her health. She then showed me her family album. There was a sadness in her as she wistfully told how she misses her husband and son & his family. I asked if they are in another place/country. She replied that her husband is very much there, in fact in the next room. But He seldom comes out as every amenity –food, water, medicine –even going to the loo –is all done by the ROBOTS. Every whim, every wish is catered to by them with clinical precision.
Entering her flat had a dream-like effect on me. I just could not stop gawking at the most beautifully, aesthetically done interior. Suddenly from nowhere some snacks & tea arrived; carried by a sweet gamine like robot. It welcomed me & served me with snacks. We had a nice chat about one & sundry. She told me stories about how the Earth-shaped structure at the centre of the city had all religious idols and beliefs located in one place so as to remove the difference among people out of religious sentiments and to preach equal love for all religions.
I inquired after her health. She then showed me her family album. There was a sadness in her as she wistfully told how she misses her husband and son & his family. I asked if they are in another place/country. She replied that her husband is very much there, in fact in the next room. But He seldom comes out as every amenity –food, water, medicine –even going to the loo –is all done by the ROBOTS. Every whim, every wish is catered to by them with clinical precision.
About her son she said the last
time she saw him was when he left for higher studies to a foreign country. There
He met his wife through Facebook ,chatted with her in Skype, proposed & married her-hold on –in
SKYPE. As both could not afford to waste
time in such silly rituals. A few years later they had a son through sperm
donation. Now the son is being raised by a robot. The old lady saw them just
two days-one on his baptising day & the other when He first went to school.
Sudden staccato sound & the words-‘ Hey you are being late for breakfast’
had me jump from the bed.........Oh My God- I realised I WAS DREAMING!!!!!
As
I readied for breakfast I could not help pondering over my fantastic creative
dream.....
‘Natureo-Technocity’ in every possible
manner is one-of-a-kind you would ever aspire for or dream of. Bountiful of
basic amenities to the munificent presence of all material pursuits cherished
my inner desires that was longing for using them. I felt as if people in Natureo-Technocity
are showered with all happiness, all contentment of life.
There was a sense of security as everything in and around them was monitored- but doesn’t too much monitoring always have a notion behind your mind of the fact that; 'I am being watched by people unknown to me’, which in certain points of time affects my ‘true sense of freedom’?? When You want to keep a hi-tech city crystalline clear and well-maintained in the eyes of visitors, why don’t you purify your own conscience and take immediate measures to tackle the callous dumping, drilling activities?
There was a sense of security as everything in and around them was monitored- but doesn’t too much monitoring always have a notion behind your mind of the fact that; 'I am being watched by people unknown to me’, which in certain points of time affects my ‘true sense of freedom’?? When You want to keep a hi-tech city crystalline clear and well-maintained in the eyes of visitors, why don’t you purify your own conscience and take immediate measures to tackle the callous dumping, drilling activities?
I might be utmost happy to
see the zenith of technological development, the almost disappearance of
class-society but somewhere deep in the core of my heart I am equally or rather
seriously hurt to see my fellow-humans. How mechanized they have grown with
time! My heart still sobs for the young boy in the playground and the old woman
in the lonely house and also for others like them with whom I couldn’t interact.
Material pleasure is slowly snatching away the lives of people- they might be ignorant of. Even if they are aware, they are too occupied in greed for more that they do not see what the gloomy future holds for them.
I was rather overjoyed to be here some times before; but now I am down with utter melancholy. The aphorism which stands apt at this moment is that it is always better to live in a healthy, advanced city but not so advanced where you don’t have time for your close ones!! How I wish I could put the positive sides in my real life & pray the negatives negate themselves out. As and always- it is peaceful, assuring to live in a city where each & everyone irrespective of their differences can breathe in their own space & remain emotionally protected around their Beloved Family-AMEN!!!!!!!!!
Material pleasure is slowly snatching away the lives of people- they might be ignorant of. Even if they are aware, they are too occupied in greed for more that they do not see what the gloomy future holds for them.
I was rather overjoyed to be here some times before; but now I am down with utter melancholy. The aphorism which stands apt at this moment is that it is always better to live in a healthy, advanced city but not so advanced where you don’t have time for your close ones!! How I wish I could put the positive sides in my real life & pray the negatives negate themselves out. As and always- it is peaceful, assuring to live in a city where each & everyone irrespective of their differences can breathe in their own space & remain emotionally protected around their Beloved Family-AMEN!!!!!!!!!
Author’s Bio- Note:
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