Millennials are flocking to places of worship, graveyards and parks, armed with their smartphones, to collect Pokemons.
Image creatives: Uday Kuckian/Rediff.com
IMAGE*: The Pokemon Go app uses GPS enabled data to help you spot and collect rare Pokemons. Photograph: Sam Mircovich/Reuters
Forget Candy Crush and Temple Run, the latest fever gripping Indians is Pokemon Go.
Much before the game was officially launched in India, enthusiasts downloaded the application from third party sites and installed it on their devices.
Using GPS, the application tracks your location and suggests spots near you where you can find a Pokemon.
When there is a Pokemon nearby, your phone vibrates and you'll have to flick your Pokeball to catch it.
Here's the interesting part of the game -- In India, youngsters are flocking to places of worship, graveyards and parks, (that they had hitherto ignored) armed with their smartphones to collect Pokemons and level up.
Crazy, isn't it?
9 unlikely places that only a Pokemon can highlight.
1. Foot over-bridges
IMAGE: Remember the last time you took a foot over-bridge to cross over to another platform? We all know that crossing the railway tracks can be dangerous, but how many of us pay heed?
Perhaps if you were to spot a Pokemon on the foot over-bridge, you might end up taking it.
2. Traffic signals
IMAGE: Abiding by traffic regulations is an essential preventive measure to avert road accidents. In India, everyone's in such a tearing hurry that people often break signals.
What if you find a Pokemon flashing on the red traffic light, the next time you hit the road?
Would you halt? We think you would!
3. Grocery stores
IMAGE: Thanks to e-commerce sites, the local baniya is slowly losing out on business.
If a Pokemon were to be found in such a place, wouldn't it make his day?
4. Libraries
IMAGE: Unlike the good old times when one visited the local library, these days, Kindles and e-books have replaced the joy of reading on paper.
One way to save these libraries from extinction is by placing more Pokemons between books. What do you think?
5. The postbox
IMAGE: Much before e-mail and text messages encroached on our lives, people wrote letters and dropped them in postboxes.
When was the last time you went close to a postbox?
Maybe if you spot a Pokemon near one, you may relive those memories.
6. Garbage bins
IMAGE: In spite of Swachh Bharat, trash bins at road side are often overflowing. Do you think a Pokemon can bring attention to this?
7. Carrom
IMAGE: There was a time when every Indian household had a carrom board.
And over the weekends, friends and family gathered together over tea, snacks and a game of carrom.
Perhaps Pokemon can bring back the lost charm of board games.
8. Playgrounds
IMAGE: The playground that used to be filled with happy children has now gone quiet and empty.
Kids prefer playing lame games on the Playstation and iPads instead of stepping out of their homes and making real friends.
Dear Pokemons, you need to show up more often at playgrounds!
9. Love birds
IMAGE: Intimate encounters of the 'open' kind needs to be banned right away. These days, parks, beaches and public spaces are crowded with couples.
Perhaps having Pokemons in such places can dissuade couples from huddling up. Think so?
