Getting nostalgic eh?...Yes I am and writing this blog to refresh,cherish and relive those wonderful memories.
National Programme was introduced in 1982. In the same year colour TV was introduced into the Indian market and the first thing was the Live telecast of Independence Day speech given by then Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi on 15th August 1982 followed by the Live telecast of the 1982 Asian Games being held in Delhi.
80's and early 90's were the classic Doordarshan entertainment era where it was the latest and only form of visual entertainment available to the Indian audiences. I am talking about the time when owning a colour TV set was a status symbol and people kept their TVs in the Living room for everyone to see [some of them still do I believe :)]...
I am talking about the time when Sunday morning tea was incomplete without Rangoli ......Chitrahaar was something not to be missed on Friday evenings.....among the first serials were Hum Log (1984), Buniyaad (1986-87), Ramayan (1986-87), Mahabharat(1988-89) etc which glued millions of viewers to Doordarshan.
Now that I look back at those days filled with fond memories, I find Doordarshan as a major part of our lives where we could not wait to watch serials like Byomkesh Bakshi, Janki Jasoos, Karamchand, Vikram aur Betaal, Surabhi, Circus, Fauji, Malgudi Days etcetc...
Although I was very young when most of these serials were aired, they have left a lasting impression on me and just remembering them fills me with nostalgia and refreshes my fond memories of those happy days.
My emotional outburst would be difficult to understand by those who were born into the Cable TV era...in this heavy commercialisation of the electronic media where there are atleast 200 channels in every home today and where its easy for any person like me to get flummoxed by this flood of non-stop, 24*7 entertainment, where the electronic media is brimming with millions of channels and those many formats of entertainment.
Doordarshan was left far behind in this rat race and today I am sure except for those who cannot afford cable TV or where its not available (very unlikely though), no one watches Doordarshan including me. I have stopped following Indian serials for a very long time mainly because its too difficult for me to digest the daily dose of crap that is fed to the viewers and where Saas-Bahu is the central theme of almost every serial...where the copied "reality" shows like Bigg Boss are popular...I honestly cannot stand Bigg Boss where entertainment is provided by accumulating some has-beens and some wannabes, their fights, showcasing their personal issues and any other non-sense they can broadcast for garnering TRPs....
I am reminiscing about the days when TRP was not even known...when the serials were aired only once a week...when their characters acquired a legendary status and no matter how popular these serials became, they did come to an end (pun intended!!)... when life was simple...Simple yet Beautiful :)
