Sometimes life just whizzes past your eyes and leaves you with the sepia-tinted memories, so profound that they stay in your heart forever.

With tender fondness, I reminisce the good ol’ DD (yes, our own Doordarshan) days that formed an inimitable part of my childhood. As I take a stroll down the memory lane, an era flashes by...of the 80s and 90s, untouched by the concept of channel flicking or sweep of the TRPs. This was the time when television (DD) had reached out to the nook and corners of the country and touched lives in a way that will be remembered for years to come.

For, can anyone forget DD’s Malgudi Days that had the lovable “chami” or Swaminathan? He could have been any child living in the quiet Indian suburbs, who hated going to the school and instead doted on the small adventures of life. Be it the humming of the Ta-na-na-na-na, or the squealing joy in R.K. Laxman’s sketches, Malgudi still does exists in the Indian mindscape.

Was it not fun espying the twitching eyes of Mungerilal who forever wallowed in the field of impossible dreams? And Wagle whose gaffes were funny enough and funnier was the way he chose to cover them up. In some way, these characters represented the middle class with their aspirations of making it big (though not always having the means to realize their far-fetched dreams).

Another character that comes to my mind is that of Mr. Yogi (may be the Mr. tag never left him because of his NRI status). This “foreign-return” youth scouts for a life partner and ends up disappointed each time. The traditions and travails of an arranged marriage, was shown with a sprinkling of humor and so was the expectations of/from the would-be groom.

While comedy ruled the roost, equally popular were the detective serials like Byomkesh Bakshi and Karamchand. The former starred a dhoti-clad Rajit Kapur, who analyzed and resolved knotty cases. On the other hand, Pankaj Kapoor as the carrot-chewing Karamchand, was a delight and so was Kitty, his assistant.

Not to be left behind were soap operas such as Hum Log and Buniyaad. (Much later came, Shanti and Swabhimaan, the two longest-running week day soaps on Indian Television.)
On the other hand, weekends were replete with the colors of Rangoli and the masti of cartoon serials like Jungle Book. (Remember the lines Chadi Pehenke Phool khila hai). Watching the mythological serials like Mahabharat and Chandrakanta on a weekend was as regular a routine as drinking a cup of tea!

Along with the dose of comedy, action, and drama was an adrenaline shot of vibrant news capsules like Surabhi and Bharat –Ek Khoj. These programs unravelled the mysteries and intrigue of the rich Indian culture.

I would like to make a special mention of Udaan, the serial that is closest to my heart. This showed a young girl (Kavita Chowdary) who comes from a humble background and moves up to the position of an IPS officer. The IPS saw a rise in the number of women applicants after this serial became a huge hit in India. Cumulatively, the programs helped DD achieve what the media was designed to do in the first place.

With the onslaught of the cable network during the late 90’s, the hours of TV programming increased, but the quality of the serials (including DD's) showed a big dip. Today’s television content comprising the crass comedies, saas-bahu rasps, or the mindless reality dramas are all made with an eye on the TRP ratings.
How I wish the golden period comes again and retouch our lives, renew our thoughts, and enlighten our hearts!