Clone

i have always been a radio girl for as long as i can remember. From the time which stores sepia tainted images of me in frilly frocks to being an incurable romantic teenager in slacks/ bell bottom pants. From when that gadget called a Receiver for Worldspace was my prized possession till date when another most valuable to me called Bose Speaker rules my temperament for the day. The distraction called idiot box is there too but just like how i'm more of a local bazaar lover than being an ardent mall hopper, i was i am and will remain an inexhaustible enthusiastic fan of The Radio. Actually an addict.
To the extent that last time i fought then sulked through the entire journey which otherwise could have been so pleasant just because my husband was not caring/ concerned enough to subscribe to that taxi that had a Radio but had some stupid MP3 instead playing some cheap item songs.
That's how bad it is- i just don't seem to have enough of it. And if it could be permitted i would let the radio remain playing even when i am sleeping.
i find the constant non-stop renderings of varieties very comforting.

Therefore i don't need days, special days to commemorate Radio. For me each day is Radio Day. And when it's not then either i am sick just too sick or i am dead. And when i remember Video killed The Radio Star i actually endorse everything it says.


Now i am pining to have all back...that big old Philips Radio and transistors in all sizes everywhere. In all the rooms, including the kitchen or even the loo.
i want everything FM, AM Aakaashvani and definitely VIVIDH BHARTI...
i want to turn the round smooth turning knobs and surf the world...Radio Australia...Radio Ceylon...Radio Nepal...Voice of America.

A friend once told me about this gentleman a tech savvy guy who has done something fantastic with concealed wiring in his superbly done up home in Bangalore. The sound of radio/ music reaches everywhere even the loo in a manner that is not disturbing to the neighbors but a pleasure for users...
i was wishing i had known this gentleman to get some helpful tips. It would definitely save me from some conspicuous consumption.

'The Hindu' has reminded me that 13th February is Radio Day and given lots of facts. Some that were new to me and some of which i have known thanks to my addiction.

But i wish i could hear the signature tunes of yesterdays too. Of Jai Mala, Man Chahe Geet, Chitradhwani, Hawa Mahal, Bhoole Bisre Geet, Fulwaari, Chaayaageet... Chaupal and related to Chaupal the voices of Loha Singh and Khaderan ke mother...hear those advertisement jingles in between of Binaca toothpaste, Glycodin cough syrup, Halls, Boroline, 555 Soap, S Kumars, Bombay Dyeing, Hawkins Pressure Cooker...

i love to remember the taglines which are immortal for many of us and just for fun sake i'd like to put some here.
Lifebuoy Soap- tandaroosti kee raksha karta hai lifebuoy...
Hawkins Pressure Cooker- Hawkins kee seetee bajee, khushboo hee khush boo udeee...
Vimal Sarees- Only Vimal Only Vimal... 
Vicks Lozenges- Gale me ho khich khich..
Dipy's Jam- Dippy doo dippy doo dippy dum dum...
Gold Spot Soft drink- Gold spot the zing thing...
Glucon D- Glucon D yeh jaan mein jaan dal de peetay hee...
and how can one forget Lalita jee in that Surf washing powder ad- She talked something about Samajhdari...
Dinesh suitings- Take the world in your stride...
Boroline Antiseptic cream- Khushboodar antiseptic cream Boroline...
My personal favorite Bajaj Bulbs- Jab main bilkul baccha tha....ab main bilkul buddha hoon...lekin aaj bhi ghar ke ander, roshini deta Bajaj .
Oh i wish i could go on and on but memory fails me.

My husband and others who know me well enough always pull my leg by calling me AIR. Not because i gossip incessantly but yes i do reveal a lot about myself when i talk specially my true ones .
Later those true attributes are used against me when i'm branded as a creature who is hysterical, needs psychiatric treatment...too much to handle... .
Obviously the branding is always done by those who won't bother to look at those four fingers that are pointing towards them. By all those who pretend to be Mr/ Mrs Goody Goody two shoes all the time. And i wonder why do they have to be so fake all the time especially when they are among friends. Can one grab attention only by being pretentious ?  We all know "All feet are made of clay'' don't we?
Furthermore too much fake goodness tastes as bad as over sweetened coffee. Also it tends to get just too boring and something that just doesn't feel humanly right.

i do sense that enormous desire to protect in all those chiding i get. i feel grateful and am no longer annoyed with what i used to call erstwhile 'patronizing sermons'... .
Sure adore it when fault-finding dons a benevolent garb. The AIR is replaced by something gentle. Subtle and soft like, ''Shivani you are an Open Book..." .

Funny and strange. He- my husband and few others who actually admire my honesty have often reprimanded me on what appeals to them the most and asked me to be more discreet/ diplomatic. Sound advice and good for me but can't express my exasperation through words how miserably i keep failing in my not- trying- too- hard attempts. i do try though to keep some of myself latent. But Heaven alone knows how when i go talking everything and just everything becomes apparent.
He and they have given up on me and i on myself of turning on a new leaf.

An afterthought- Plants grown from runners and leaf cuttings have the same traits as the parent plant. Therefore they are justified- hubby dear and others who have lovingly bestowed the tiara of AIR on my shorn of lustrous hair instead cropped short pageboy head.

Okay coming back to The Radio...for the smile that it brings and all the nostalgia along with it. Thanks to Youtube and The Samaritans who have been delighting me for quite sometime now with Yesterday Once More.




A clip from the movie Pati Patni Aur Woh has two jingles...one of Bombay Dyeing and the other for Halls Vapor Action.
Bombay Dyeing in English :
Youuuu the beautiful woman in your husband's life
You You You the beautiful woman in your husband's life
Show your husband the woman you are in 100% polyester and polyester georgette sarees.

Halls Mentho Lyptus in Hindi :
Galey mein ho kharaash
Ya ho bund naak
Halls Mento- lyptus
Aaraam dilayey phauran
Galey kee kharaash meetayey bund naak khul jayey
Halls Mentho-Lyptus Vapor Action.



Will be back with more of me...soon !! Just one more thing before i quit that if there are more and more of  infotainment with Yesterdays Once More like the programmes aired on 92.7 Big FM especially Yaad Shaher by Nilesh Misra and that one of RJ Aniruddh which feature days gone by i'm sure Radio will replace the video star. The fillers aka the jingles need to get back that old charm too...