Mumbai: After video of Maharashtra village following daily digital detox goes viral, citizens emphasise on its need

Mumbai: After video of Maharashtra village following daily digital detox goes viral, citizens emphasise on its need

City parents who have grown cautious of the all pervasive nature of the devices for the information they provide in the digital age have been trying to find their way out of it.

Ashutosh M ShuklaUpdated: Tuesday, March 28, 2023, 12:33 AM IST
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Mumbai: After video of Maharashtra village following daily digital detox goes viral, citizens emphasise on its need | representative pic

Mumbai: In the times of new age parents luring their children to have food through mobile phone distraction, a video of a Maharashtra village following a daily digital detox of one hour is being lauded for the necessity it propagates. 

The village - ‘Mohityanche Vadgaon’ in Sangli district of western Maharashtra has a siren go off everyday at 7 pm alerting nearly 3,000 villagers about the detox hour where they keep aside their mobiles, laptops, TVs and other electronic gadgets. Idea of the village head, digital detox was introduced to ensure that children study, play and talk to each other instead of staying glued to their mobiles even after school hours. 

Dr. Harish Shetty: Hope the idea catches like a wildfire

"I hope the idea catches like a wildfire in other villages and even cities. Digital detox cannot be done by mental health professionals. It requires a people's movement like preventing violence, suicide and drug addiction," said Dr. Harish Shetty, psychiatrist with Hiranandani Hospital, who welcomed the move for its manifold benefits. 

"This will help things at personal level and also at social level," said Shetty. At a personal level, it will increase productivity, concentration and performance while at social level, it will help improve relation, emotional connect and bonding. 

City parents who have grown cautious of the all pervasive nature of the devices for the information they provide in the digital age have been trying to find their way out of it. "At my home, mobiles are a strict 'no' while having breakfast and dinner. In fact, we do not even allow newspapers. The idea is that we talk to each other," said Malavika Gadiyar, Powai resident

Gadiyar's family moved to digital detox without calling it such during Covid. They felt that there was time at hand, people were around but the connectivity was not happening. "Since my son had to access the devices for his studies, we realised that we will keep some time for personal talking and connecting. This way we managed to prolong a talk and get deep into conversations. It gave him a sense of relief when he knew we were aware of some things that were creating anxiety in him, be it due to his studies or any other issue," said Gadiyar. Gadiyar said that she ensured she asked her son to help her out so that the sense of responsibility, and that he will have to do similar work when he grew up, got inculcated in him as a habit. 

Digital detox is the need of the hour, opine resident

"For me, it was like 'screens cannot replace the babysitter'. What you get from attention and care from a person before you, cannot come out of distraction induced through a screen. Parents want to be immersed in their own life and things so they give a game or switch on the TV. In such a scenario, while you want one thing to be done, another harmful thing is getting inculcated," she added.  

For Cuffe Parade resident Pritsikha Anil, digital detox is the need of the hour and hopes that people in the city take it up in a big way. This is because besides all the connectivity digital India provides, it has taken over lives in unhealthy ways. "For example, when we meet people — say for a cup of coffee — we are unable to stop ourselves from randomly checking our mobile phones even for an hour; it is almost a compulsive habit. In terms of sheer social etiquette, this is akin to having a separate and private conversation with another person while the person you are sitting across from is being ignored. It is rude and insensitive but sadly it is becoming almost an acceptable habit today," said Pritsikha. 

"You know the memes we see about switching off the wifi to see if your kids are at home? I have actually done it to ensure my son emerges from his room!," she said, adding that she and her friends try to not see mobile phones though detox was yet to become part of the daily version of it.  

Villages asserting and teaching cities and metropolitan areas, said health experts be it in cricket or digital awareness was a hearterning thing. "It is a good thing we are seeing. People should spend more time with each other. Is it not better if the couple look at each other instead of looking at mobiles?" quipped Shetty. 

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