No newspaper, no peace, city’s Sunday morning disrupted

For thousands of Ludhiana residents, Sunday morning began not with headlines and hot chai, but with confusion and quiet. The familiar thud of the newspaper landing on the doorstep was missing, and with it, the rhythm of a ritual that defines the city’s weekend mood.

The delay was caused by the police teams stopping vehicles carrying newspapers for thorough searches, citing suspicion of their use in supply of drugs, arms and ammunition and hawala money. Although nothing was found during checking, but the ripple effect was felt across the city’s households.

“I kept pacing around the gate from 7 am,” said 72-year-old Harinder Singh from the Civil Lines. “Sunday papers are special — the magazine sections, the editorials and the long reads. Without them, it felt like something was stolen from the day,” he said.

Senior citizens, especially, felt the void. Many rely on the early morning paper — usually delivered between 7 and 7.30 am — as a companion to their tea, a window to the world, and a reason to linger in their verandahs.

“My morning coffee was boring today,” said Kamlesh Batra, a retired banker. “I tried reading something online, but the joy of turning pages is something else,” he said.

The delay wasn’t just a logistical hiccup — it was a disruption of habit, comfort and connection. “My grandson said, Nana, read it on your phone, but how do I explain that it’s not the same?” said 78-year-old Rajinder Mehra. “The rustle of paper, the smell of fresh print, the crossword puzzle — it’s all part of the experience,” he said.

By the time newspapers finally arrived — around 10.30 am for many — the damage was done. “Breakfast was over, the mood had shifted,” said Nikhil, a cricket enthusiast who missed his usual dose of match analysis and Sunday sports columns. “It’s not just news — it’s how we start the day,” he said.

Local vendors, too, bore the brunt. “People kept calling, asking if I had forgotten to deliver newspaper at their residences,” said Harvinder, a newspaper distributor in the BRS Nagar, “I had no answers. We were stuck waiting for the police clearance,” he said.

“Despite the inconvenience, the incident served as a reminder of how deeply embedded print media remains in Ludhiana’s cultural fabric. In an age of digital headlines and instant updates, the city’s love for its morning paper — especially on Sundays — remains unshaken,” said another senior citizen, retired from the Journalism Department of an educational institute.

As Harinder Singh put it, “You can scroll all you want, but you can’t rest in peace until you’ve turned the last page.”