500+ Words Essay on Postman
One of the most well-known persons in a town or village is usually the postman. When we think of a postman, an image of a man in a khaki uniform on a cycle with a side bag full of letters pop in our heads. A postman is a government employee who delivers letters to houses and shops.
Every major city, town, or village has a post office which consists of multiple postmen. Even though the postman is usually popular and recognisable in his area, we hardly spare a thought about his importance in the smooth functioning of society. We do not realise the hardships faced by postmen or understand the unique nature of his work.
Most importantly, we do not recognize how modern technology is impacting his profession. This essay is an attempt to comprehend the Indian Postman.
Who is a Postman?
A postman works for the public. He is responsible for delivering valuable documents, important letters, and even money orders and other parcels from one place to another. He is also responsible for registered letters, insured letters, and insured parcels. Bags of letters and other documents arrive at a post office from all over the country through trains or busses.
They are then sorted based on delivery location and handed over to the designated postman. He then goes from door to door and street to street to deliver these items. In large cities, he travels in a postal bus. In smaller towns or villages, he travels on foot or by means of a cycle.
A typical day in a postman’s life begins early in the morning. He reaches the post office and gets busy sorting his pile of mailbags and letters based on locality. Then he spends the rest of the day taking rounds around his assigned area and delivering letters or packages.
He goes about his day irrespective of the weather to ensure people receive their mail on time. He is usually respected and welcomed wherever he goes as he brings in letters from loved ones or valuable packages.
Some see hope in him, whereas others see fear. While a letter of examination success can fill a student with joy, passing away of a loved one can be difficult for the family. Thus, without any knowledge of what news he carries, the postman is the messenger of joy, sorrow, birth, and death.
Importance of the Postman
Often, the postman is the only means of communication to a remote village or mountain areas. India has more than 1,55,000 post offices, making it the world’s largest postal network. More than 5 lakh employees are employed in the post office, and they work day in and day out to ensure people receive their mails safely, efficiently, and on time.
This widespread network sustains on the foundation built by individual postmen who connect remote villages of India to the rest of the country.
A postman is responsible for ensuring that the mail reaches its location in proper condition and within the promised timeframe. Many important documents, including legal notices and property papers, pass hands through the postal service. Thousands and lakhs of letters are sent using the Indian postal system.
This is only possible because of the hard work of the postmen and the trust of people on them. A postman ensures that the parcel reaches the right person without any damage irrespective of the weather conditions or how tired he is. His dedication has played an important role in the success of the postal system.
In a world before the internet, a postman carried the primary responsibility of being the carrier of both personal and professional information. In his trademark khaki dress, the postman played his role as an important member of the society. In rural areas where illiteracy is widespread, he often reads out letters for people.
Rarely, he even writes letters for the villagers. He is even today an irremovable part of the rural society. He is the source of information on the happenings of the nearby villages and major towns. Even though technology has overtaken a large part of his responsibility, he is still the most trustworthy and essential member of the postal system.
Difficulties faced by a Postman
A postman works hard to earn his bread. He travels around the localities throughout the day to search the exact addresses and deliver mails on time. Be it scorching heat or heavy rain; he is always on duty. Often, he also works at night to deliver necessary telegrams.
He has to fight his way through mountainous terrain and dangerous forests to meet his destination. His constant physical strain is injurious to his health and may have huge repercussions, especially at old age. The lack of proper equipment like mopeds or even cycles has contributed to the difficulties faced by the postman.
Postmen are committed people who are busy the entire day. They put in the sweat to earn every penny they receive. They earn their living through honest means and make people’s life easier. Yet, their salary is very less compared to the efforts they put in.
They have very few holidays and works when everyone else rests. There is very less chance of promotion, and thus he often finds it difficult to fulfill the needs of his family. Many people are unsympathetic to his hardships and are often very rude to him.
Impact of new technology
With the advent of couriers, emails, instant messaging, and even video calls, the importance of a postman has reduced. These means of communication have made it possible for people to interact in a matter of minutes as opposed to days taken by the postman.
This, however, does not mean that the postman holds no significance in the current world order. He is still the most reliable way of transporting important documents or heartfelt letters. Modern means of communication and the present fast-paced life cannot match the accountability and usability of a postman, especially relating to transporting valuable mails.
The postal service, like other systems, has realised the utility of technology and used it for customer satisfaction as well as for aiding postmen. Now, anyone using the Indian postal service can track the status of their mail efficiently. They are also able to connect to help care centers and obtain their packages at convivence.
Postmen, on the other hand, use technology in the form of google maps and other such applications to effectively hand out mails. This has saved them the hassles of tracking an address with very little information.
Conclusion
A postman is an important member of the society who makes the lives of people easier by playing a major role in transporting letters, documents, and parcels. He is reliable, hardworking, and trustworthy. He works the entire day in all conditions to ensure that people receive their mail on time.
Yet, his pay is significantly lesser as compared to his efforts. He receives few benefits from the government and often struggles to meet the needs of his family. Even though modern technology has acquired a huge part of his work, his contribution in transporting valuable documents and parcels is still very significant. He is the foundation of the postal system.
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