Doordarshan Days


Nowadays television has become very much commercialized and in the name of entertainment the level of “entertainment” itself has gone too low. If one channel starts some kind of reality show, the other follow the same way trying to get as many celebrities and “cooked-up dramas” that they can get into the show. Same way if some channel started some serial or show in the name of comedy then others follow soon. Unfortunately the “Indian audience” is happy to see all this and almost every one wants to have their 10 seconds fame by coming into one of these shows. Even parents are trying to get their small children into this business!

When I see all these channels, I am reminded of Doordarshan – by far the best channel in television. Today, Doordarshan also has all kinds of sobbing serials and 1-2 reality show but then it’s not in such large scale as in other private channels. Despite these, they still have some good shows like Jalsa – which is telecasted every Sunday, trying to show several forms of music in India (classical, Hindustani, folk, ghazals etc)

For those who have watched Doorodarshan some 15 to 20 years back, am sure they will have nostalgic memories of it.

One cannot forget watching - Mahabharata, Ramayana, Shri Krishna on Sunday mornings or regional movies on Sunday afternoons. Rangoli and Chitrahaar used to keep people glued to their television sets. For kids – Jungle book, Danasur and many cartoons used to be shown. Many won’t forget serials like Shanti(which made MBndira bedi a household name!! ;)) and Junoon.
Even the news was well presented and covered all the areas of news. Even today watching Doordarshan news is better than likes of NDTV and CNN-IBN who are more interested in keeping sports and entertainment gossips as their “Breaking News”.
I don’t watch much television now but know that Doordarshan still does its bid of telecasting various things about India though unfortunately the numbers of people watching it have reduced.

Here are some of my favorites from Doordarshan which I loved to watch. They are not serials or reality shows but shows the in simpler way importance of different things of India like patriotism, education, music etc.
So all those who used to love watching Doordarshan, Enjoy these links :)

Mile sur mera tumhara
Light of freedom
Doordarshan Signature Montage
Doordarshan Ads part 1
Doordarshan Ads part 2
The Spirit of Unity for national integration
Educational documentary
Jai hind
Baje Sargam
Jungle book


P.S – I might have missed naming a few shows of yesteryears, so if any one remembers any apart from these do let me know. :)

Comments

Unknown said…
Haa....Doordarshan it is!!....India's apna channel. Your article just reminded me many other shows that I loved watching. After MAhabharat, the most entertaining shows on Doordarshan were Shaktimaan, Chandrakaanta and Swabhimaan. None missed watching those at my place. I still do remember the title songs which run through my mind even now. Doordarshan was my education during those days.

I totally agree and disagree with you in a lot of points. Sounds confused doesn't it. I know it does. We are in the age of growing standards and we cannot negotiate with something like this at any means. Indian (so-called) satellite channels are just tryin to cope up with those abroad. Something like that should have happened even with Doordarshan. The reason for its downfall would be corruption. The cable channel penetration has brought in a lot off channel during the last nine years due to which Doordarshan lost its sponsers; Hindustan Unilevers Limited being one of the main advertisers.

I still do not blame any other channel for this as Doordarshan now is just a "namesake" channel, that is running for the poor who can't get their televisions attached with a dish antenna(You can actually count them as they are very few in India).

Last but not the least, all the shows that you/we :) have mentioned have got their copyrights now owned by the cable channels and hopefully telecasted again in the future like Shaktimaan is showing sometimes on Star Plus:)(I still do watch it).

Cheers to Soundarya for this post and thanks for bringing back my pleasant memories. Now if you excuse me, I need to make few phone calls to my friends who were my companions while watching these shows:-). Great work again dear.
July 12, 2009 at 10:20 PM
nitin_kanaujiya said…
wow Those DD days", was a report on Hindustan Times last year, I read it in Sunday's Magazine section of newspaper.....it reminded me of tht....even commercials during those days were different....and do u remember the sound of music tht used to come daily in mornin...i still remember tht tune.

thnks sound-dreams...u rock
July 12, 2009 at 11:15 PM
soundarya said…
thanks suresh :) - i agree downfall of DD is not any private channel's fault but then the kind of shows that come thats only my concern.

@nitin - thanks :) ..sound of music tune?? kaunsa?
July 13, 2009 at 9:24 PM
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