Bhutadarshanam of Doordarshan

My memories of Doordarshan

“by 9.30 these rituals will be over, we can breakfast and watch Mahabharat, before we move on the other rituals” our family purohit Maradeya was saying.  The nurses would request for a 10 – 11 break to watch Mahabharat.

That box that screen which was within a box and a door to it, was magical. My first memory is very hazy and it was at Mumbai when we were kids, there were very few TV owners and it was an ritual for people to trot to their house to view. I remember Aunt Janaki making something for everyone to eat so that she would not infringe on the neighbour’s hospitality.

It kind of got upgraded and we heard of serials like Humlog and Idhar Udhar.

Finally in the mid or late eighties it entered our living room. I remember my grandmother being upset that the maid would not do her work as she would want to watch the TV.  From the good old Philips radio we shifted to the TV, though I do not remember the make, it was an event going to “Ajith Pai’s” Manipal Industries shop… then the only shop in Udupi to buy our TV. To ensure we did not loose precious time from our studies, it was decided that the TV would be placed in our dining room, it also meant that when we had visitors we could have some privacy.

There were this serials Surabhi, for which my brother Ramachandra did an episode. Then there was there was the Vijayanand serial “Tehikhikaat” the romantic ones “Kashish” with Malavika Tiwari and I think Kanwaljit, I am not sure, there was Farmaan based in Hyderabad.

Sunday’s I think was the day, and to justify TV watching we scheduled our ironing and things like that around, “Ramayan” “Mahabharat” “He man and the masters of the Universe” “Shaktimaan.” The most important “Rangoli” chayageet I remember hearing but actually seeing I do not remember.

Then came DD—2 which wore a more intellectual garb. There were programs like “Reporter” the concert for national integration. To be very frank I still prefer watching DD to the other channels simply because it is not loud.

The news meant Gitanjali Aiyer, Nithi Ravindran or I think Minnu someone, the Sunday sankrit news and weekly news for the hearing challenged was another thing we loved to watch. Sunday regional movies were also a great attraction, I remember some extremely powerful regional movies.

Oh! Yes there was Udaan about the lady police officer, she was so realistic nothing like the glam dolls of today. The saas-baahu component and the scheme extended family was also minimum, I do not know if families were healthier then or the mindset of the writers and viewers. I remember the serial Bhoomi actually took people to sites that were getting destroyed and gave proactive suggestions to deal with it.

Like the Krishi-Bharat that would talk not only of farming but also about terrace gardening we could write to organizers to get information.

The show Dawaat used trace the history of traditional indian recipes, I learnt my Palaak kofta and aruvi-cutlet, kathaal ke achaar from here and believe me my Kathaal ke achaar has booking ahead, in my family.

Tuning in of the morning show of Doordarhan meant the day had begun in earnest.