RK Rishikesh Sinha
India of 80s was probably the last peaceful India where people
led a simple and sober lifestyle away from the rat-race of today. Your neighborhood
was truly yours. Your nearby bazaar or shop was the extension of your life. The
area in which you live was your extended family. That was the character of the time
— life seemed to be so beautiful in its true meaning. People were happy in small
things.
And those who began exploring the world in the 80s of India
definitely miss the time since India never remained the same. What are the
characteristics and symbols of India in 80s through which people relate to that
period?
Doordarshan Days
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| Doordarshan logo |
Having a black and white Weston or Tesla television set was a luxury. That was the time in which a passerby could enter anyone’s house to watch serials like Ramayana and Mahabharata. Chitrahaar, an 8.30 pm entertainment programme, was the one and only entertainment dose which seemed to be rationed to the mass (leaving the Sunday reserved for an oldie-goldie film).
Another aspect of that period; children feared death of a national
leader since Doordarshan goes to the state of mourning. A house with a
television set was easy to detect since the house had antenna.
Feisty Sunday
Sunday was full of fun and frolic. It was the day to catch
entertainment programmes in a nearby house and play to the fullest with your
neighbourhood friends. Sunday was not less entertaining than any festival. Children
spent rest of the week talking about their activities with their friends.
Kerosene Stove
It was very common to find kerosene stoves in homes. It was the same period when kerosene stoves were being replaced by LPG Gas connection.
The Richest had car and telephone
It was easy to recognize richest persons; they had Maruti
car and telephone connections. Less rich person had Chetak Bajaj scooter or
Rajdut motorcycle. To possess a telephone was the hallmark of power. The telephone
was neatly covered and used to occupy a special place in a house.
Mithunama
Still the impact of Mithun Chakraborty in the 80s could be
gauged today. Movies like Gangs of Wasseypur starred by Manoj Bajpayee carry
the time and impression that Mithun had in that period. He was a hero and icon
to imitate. It was the Disco period led by Mithun Chakraborty. The same period brought heartthrob Madhuri Dixit with her
song ek, do, teen, char….
Gadgets
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| Sony's Walkman |
Besides television set, it was the period of VCDs, VCRs, PHILIPS taperecoder, radio, and camera. There were video parlours that stocked movies in ones locality. There was another gadget for music lovers — Sony’s Walkman.
Period of re-discovery
It seems awkward today that movies like Sholay (released in
1975) and Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon (1971) were a topic of discussion on
entertainment. Praise the technology that rediscovered the old stuff and
brought it to homes.
No-Money talk
Discussion on money never entered into camaraderie. People
abstain talking about money matters. A person was not judged with his bank
balance but with his character.
Nil security
It was the last decade where people enjoyed true freedom of
movement. Civilian localites without any type of questioning enter nearby defence
establishments. They were seen watching even late night movies in the cinema halls that
were under defence area. Today it is impossible. There is a fear environment with
gun-trotting soldiers in the gates everywhere across the country.
The eighties decade has always fascinated me. I was born in that ttime but cudn't remember much. It wud b gr to see pics of india from 70's and 80's.
ReplyDeleteVery rightly depicted nostalgic article.. I can still remember those Ramayan sundays.. and the Sharjah cup cricket matches between Ind n pak.. the last ball six by Miandad.. the skills of players like Maradona, Platini and Romarios..the Napoli club episode..the tape recorder days.. the b/w tv .. the world this week by Prannoy Roy.. the Indrazal Commics days.. the three digit telephone number days... So many things... Those were really the simple yet happier days without the rat races of present days.... I loved the article Rishi.. U took me to my school days..
ReplyDeleteSuch a wonderful article. I could not resist but smile all the while I read your article. It was walking down memory lane. The line 'To possess a telephone was the hallmark of power' was the best in the whole article. It made me remind many things. Right from the attitude of the owner to his pathetic condition of taking the messages of the entire neighborhood and go and convey the messages personally. Also the guys who would possess a walkman would flaunt it as if he is a millionaire. And waiting the whole week for Sunday to come was such an excitement. Really it was a golden period of ones life.
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