"I'm the idiot box. I'm the TV. I'm the all-seeing eye and the world of the cathode ray. I'm the buob tube. I'm the little shrine the family gathers to adore" – Neil Gaiman, American Gods
I wonder who coined the word "Idiot box" for a TV in the past ,I mean during my childhood days (80s-90s) ,as I certainly don't believe it was then though it is now !
As Neil Gaiman said,"Television was indeed the little shrine the family gathered to adore." As a matter of fact,it was not an idiot box but everyone's prime source of entertainment box back then.It was considered fortunate to own one .During those days ,there used to be only one channel,DD1-DoorDarshan in India, movies were in black and white and color and had quality less yet meaningful ads. being aired in between .
However, during those days,"Less was more" . Even the TV commercials used to be quite entertaining than annoying .Within a few span of a minute or two,lots of things were said and displayed ; it was simple,touching,innocent,thought provoking,lol'ing,inspiring , part and parcel of everyday lives.A golden memoir of simple life ! Sometimes we sang along,acted along,danced along,teased our friends along,played along ,watched with our family along and stored in our memory along... forever....
Reminds me Atif Aslam's song - "Wo Lamhe, wo baatein, koi na jaane,
Thi kaisi raatein,hooo, barsaatein,
Wo bheegi bheegi yaadein, Wo bheegi bheegi yaadein.........
When Jalebiiiii became the most sought after cutest Indian sweet ,when all you needed was a Liril soap to bath under a waterfall ,when all you needed was a Lux soap to be a celebrity ,when fast food meant 2 minutes Maggi that even kids knew how to cook ,when we didn't need a like button to do a thumps up or to have a gold spot for a cool drink,when chal meri luna and hamara Bajaj were nothing less than a Harley Davidson motorbike,when groom's parent's dowry demand consisted of Pan parag ,when melody used to be a chocolatey,when percy,perk chocolate would make you munch and perky.
When all you needed was a surf and Lalitha ji's pearls of wisdom to make your clothes and life brighter ,when Nirma washing powder would turn you into a ballerina,when even though you drank Horlicks or Bournvita ,you would like to be a champ like Shahid Kapoor ,yelling "I am a complan boy/I am a complan girl.",when you could have pearly teeth by using a Lal dantmanjan ,when you just needed a rhyme not a reason to confess "I love you Rasna" ,When summer became frooty and cool to the soul like roohhafza,when cadbury's had kuch baat ,khaas way to make you dance like no one is watching,when an antiseptic cream, Vicco Turmeric would also make you fair and lovely.
When even though a kid hates milk,he/she may drink it singing ,"Doodh doodh doodh,peeyo glassful doodh," ,and loved it completely if it was a milky bar,when anyone could have long ,black hair like an actress using Dabur's amla oil,when harr baat hazam ho hi jaathi thi,all they had to do was chew a hajmola candy ,when you wanted to have a rabbit as a pet like "Lijjat paapad's" than a dog or a cat,when you wouldn't mind having a khich khich /throat sore ,if you've a stock of Vicks ki goli at home,when saari clad ladies would groove to "Ice ice baby",when "Onida TV..in fact, any TV was your pride and neighbor's envy.....
Those were the golden part of my childhood days ,when "Simplicity was sophistication."
Now it is like the continuation of the above Atif's song -
Na main jaanu,Na tu jaane,
Kaisa hai ye mausam,Koi na jaane,
Kahi se yeh fizaa aayi,Ghamon ki dhoop sang laayi,
Khafaa hogaye hum,Judaa hogaye hum....
