The Power of Gossip: Building a Strong Sense of Community in My Village

Gossip has been a constant companion in my life, even in my youth when it was shrouded in taboo. Despite its uncertain truths, I was always drawn to it to connect with others, share our experiences, and feel a part of something larger.
Gossip has some great qualities. It entertains, and I can easily add some extra details and pass them on. It serves as a great story “prompt” for releasing creative energy. I can add additional characters and make the story very colourful.
Among gossip’s many valuable functions, its most profound quality is its ability to forge and sustain a unique sense of community. It binds us through shared interests, information, and values, creating a distinct sense of belonging.
My village, Sadahalli, is an excellent example of this. My mother, uncles, and several cousins hail from here. Information travels at such high speeds that even 5G cannot match. In the days when we did not have telephones, mobile phones, or WhatsApp, messages travelled at incredible speeds. Every person in the village loves to take responsibility for transferring the message with or without embellishments. They may not be the story’s subject, but they would love to carry the message. The content could be anything — births, deaths, exam results, new jewellery and saree purchases. I have seen the beginning of courtships and relationships, which began through this medium and ended in marriages. I remember a cousin testing a hypothesis by releasing a “trial” balloon, which became true after a few iterations. We have created a peer-to-peer mechanism for disseminating information. The stories spread like wildfire with several added “spices.” We have a language of our own. One of my cousins has created a compendium of Sadahalli words, which are very unique.
My cousins knew my salary had increased even before I got my letter. My marriage was the talk of the village even before I met my fiancée. Newcomers to our family (daughters-in-law) take time to understand the language and learn the culture.
We are together for any celebration, marriage, temple festival, or funeral. We extend our physical help in times of need. We love food, dresses, and jewellery and talk about them when we meet. Though I am miles away, my cousins provide me with regular gossip, which floats around and is juicy.
While there is no fact-checking mechanism in the gossip mill, everyone in the village contributes to the community’s harmony. The Sadahalli family tree has grown like a Banyan tree, and I am proud to say we are five hundred-plus families. I have a cousin in every lane of Bangalore. Gossip, unique language, and food have made us a strong community.