Tribute to DD

Long before cable connection was installed, there was a single channel which we would receive by adjusting the antenna at just the right angle. Yes you guessed it right it was our very own DD1 or DoorDarshan.

The channel had a huge impact on us. Why?? So long after the advent of cable TV why did people still get up at 8 on a Sunday morning and watch RANGOLI? (I think that answers the question) DD1 was not just a channel for us it’s our way of life. It was the only channel that brought every member of a family together.

So where do I start with the shows. Let’s start with the epic, Mahabharata. When Mahabharata aired the streets were actually deserted (You can imagine what the show meant), there was an unannounced curfew on the streets, that was the power of Mahabharata. If Mahabharata was aired now then I bet it would surpass Game of thrones to be the most downloaded on torrents in world.

Another show which has been etched in our memory is Shaktimaan. How can you forget India’s very own Superhero? Not only was he a superhero he was Environment friendly social message spreading super hero. Then there was our Surabhi hosted by Renuka Shahane.

Here’s a mind-blowing fact about Surabhi; it received 1.4 million letters in a single week for the quiz that they hosted at the end of the show. It’s like getting 1.4 million likes in a day or two. The show and its quizzes were huge then. Next on my list would be Tarang. Tarang had this one cartoon *meena aur uska toota* spreading social messages; if that was not valued based education than what is?? Tarang also had this old man who would teach us to make cool things out of everyday materials. Tarang was my discovery channel, back then. And the list goes on and on and on. Wait! How can I forget Malgudi days, Impossible isn’t it? Swami and friends

And then there were shows like Chanakya, Mirza galib, Ramayana Om Namha Shivaya… the list is endless. No I have not forgotten Chitrahaar and Chayageet. It was our half an hour of Mtv, to which could write letter of course (Remember how they would start with old songs and then at the end of the show play the latest. trendy songs). Then there were those songs, *Ek chidiya aneka chidiya…* *Mile sur mera tumhara…*

The only thing I hated, then, about the channel was the news at 8 Doordharshan Smachar. It was dad’s favorite time of the day. He would watch it as religiously as I would watch Tarang. I know there are scores of other shows but these handful of shows, are the only ones that I remember now. Hold on!! There has to be a special mention for Cricket. One house, One TV, and the whole *galli* rooting and howling and whistling, a curse, sometimes, from back, which would be suppressed by *SSShhhhhh* and then cracking of jokes against the opponent players. It was so much fun. Even with all these dedicated channels now, I still miss that one channel which offered me everything.

Thank you for making my childhood memorable one.