The vanishing queue(Pangat)

Just for paying the electricity bill ,I had taken a leave.I reached the electricity office at 7 AM in the morning.More than 2 hours before the office hours.Outside the window under the shady trees I was in the queue sitting on a brick.Other people from all villages all castes,all occupations were in the same queue just as in the Gurudwara ,discussing every thing under the sun.When the line moved forward I shifed my royal chair(brick)a little forward.At noon I reached home had lunch and took rest.A big task had been done.What an enriching experience it was though!That was 10 years ago.Paying the bill became a 2 hour business after a few years from then.The sharing of the thoughts reduced.Today I clicked a few buttons from my house and the job was done.The queue that I hated as well as loved has vanished. We were sitting in a Gurudwara Langar in Mumbai when I was a child.A gentleman shared his views on religion in totality before the Langar could be served.To this day I remember what he said.When I was iin NOIDA and was newly married a beautiful girl had made it a point to sit beside me whilst partaking langar every Saturday evening.Wife on one side and the girl on the other became a bit of a weekly routine.Not that I ever talked to that girl or my wife objected to it or there were any lusty feelings,but the pangat(queue)experience was special.On most of the occasions sitting with Sangat of various types in a pangat(queue) is a lesson in itself.Now in Jagraon at most Akhand paats there is a buffet system(Picking the plate,self serving and eating while standing).The queue (pangat)=classroom is vanishing.Not sure whether it is for good or for bad.