Doordarshan Recall - Childhood Memoirs

Articles on this topic are plenty, but I can’t resist making a post on this as it brings back delightful childhood memories. During early 80’s National TV was introduced and hence started the epoch of Doordarshan (DD). Most of the houses had black and white television. Our laundry man had won a color TV in a lottery, we all considered him the luckiest man born! I lived in a colony and I have vivid memories of the various types of televisions at my friend’s places. Black and white televisions with or without shutters and tiny portable ones with long antennas. Select fortunate households had color TVs which would have a handful of buttons for channels. The need of changing channels was seldom there as DD was the only option for viewing. The only need for close venture near TV was when the volume had to be altered or when the TV had to be switched on or off. At that time I made wishful thinking of how amazing it would be to sit far off and make controls. I often longed for more channels with more options. The timings of the program were at the tip of my fingers as none of them could be missed as there were no repeats.  I make a nostalgic trip down the years of DD recollecting all the programs I was glued to.

In comedy my picks were Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi, Wagle Ki Duniya, Mr. Yogi, Flop Show, Ulta Pulta, Mr. and Mrs. and Mungeri Laal Ke Haseen Sapne.  I remember that film songs were aired in 30 minute slots, Chitrahaar on Wednesday nights and Rangoli on Sunday mornings. Serials like Dada Dadi ki Kahani, Vikram Betaal, Mowgli, Tenali Rama, Malgudi Days, Ek Do Teen Chaar, Hum Panchi Ek Daal Ke, Star Treck and Giant Robot particularly enchanted the younger lot. Cartoons aired like He Man, Spiderman and Mickey Mouse were run away hits in households having children. Family soaps like Buniyaad, Hum Log, Airhostess, Circus, Nukkad, Khandaan, Subah,  Udaan, Tamas, Rajni, Honi Anhoni, Darpan, Chunauti, Mujrim Haazir, Lifeline, Neev, Gul Gulshan Gulfam and Fauji called for enjoyable family times on weekdays. Sunday morning an hour slot was dedicated to mythological serials like Ramayan and Mahabharat(In some parts of India those days elderly people actually lit aggarbattis in front of TVs as they sat to watch their favorite Gods on TV).  The trill of watching detective serials like Karamchad (rem: Kitty don’t be silly?) and Byomkesh Bakshi was just amazing.

Remember informative programs like Aisa Bhi Hota Hai, Turning Point and Surabhi? I also remember World This Week being the only program on foreign news aired on Friday nights. A quiz program called Siddhart Basu presents was pretty popular. Remember the news on DD? The Lady clad in neatly pinned sarees, huge bindis and the men in formal attire reading out news. There would be a 15 minute slot for the deaf and dumb news on Sundays. It was followed by a regional movie. Saturday evenings a Hindi movie was broadcasted. Every week a list of programs for the next week was read out in a Sapthahiki. Another thing that comes flooding in my mind is the videos Ek Aur Anek, Mile Sur Mera Tumhara echoing various messages on harmony.

My favorite DD ads were “Washing Powder Nirma”, “I Love you Rasna”, “The Zing Thing – Goldspot” “I am a Complan Girl”, “Hamara bajaj”,  “EC Bulb hi Laana” , “Lijjat Papad …he he  he”, “Jab Ghar Ki Raunak – Nerolac” J

Faces popular on DD were Alok Nath, Reema Lagoo, Neena Gupta, Satish Shah, Om Puri, Jaspal Bhatti, Tanvi Azmi, Kanwaljeet Singh, Anil Dhawan, Rama Vij, Arun Govil, Priya Tendulkar, Nitin Bharadwaj, Swaroop Sampath, Jayant Kriplani, Pranoy Roy, Siddharth Kak, Renuka Shahane.

I have just relived my childhood bondage with Doordarshan. Am sure many of you share the same.