This wonderful Bollywood themed Blog Hop triggered the voice of my soul and musical memories flooded my mind.
The past holds soothing memories that enliven my present.
After all “ Har Ghadi Badal Rahi hai Roop Zindagi….”
My childhood memories are soaked with lilting tunes of Bollywood songs which I heard either on the radio or through my father’s enviable collection of cassettes. Radio programmes based on songs, narration of a movie’s story, cricket commentaries etc were much awaited. Cassettes were either bought or recorded. After hearing them for the umpteenth time I eventually remembered the next song that would play in a particular cassette. It was joyous to rewind and listen to my favorite song again and again.
Life was very simple then.
With the advent of television came Chitrahaar, Rangoli and the Sunday movie. Pin drop silence and concentration were mandatory.
How can I forget Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayana? As kids we were given the duty to adjust the antenna.
Sunday mornings reverberated with the sound of “Signal aaya kya ????”
“Nahi!!!!!Thoda aur ghuma antenna”.
After numerous adjustments we would happily settle for the poor reception. Patience was a virtue then. Can you imagine anyone sitting peacefully today, if they did not get what they wanted?
Families and neighbours gathered around the TV sets for these programmes. Nowadays people do not even sit together at the dining table.
Family gatherings were incomplete without a lively Antakshari session. It would eventually end in heated arguments about the lyrics. The starting letter of the song would be debated earnestly. These memories still bring a smile on my face.
Animated conversations based on a new movie, or a song and its lyrics were an interesting part of our life . If someone had watched the movie in the theatre he was equivalent to God! Each detail of the movie was discussed, dissected and savoured. It brought people of varied age groups together.
Music is after all the universal language of mankind.
No matter how accessible songs and movies have become now, I still hold on to the memories of a life where we celebrated moments.
So much has changed since then. No wonder “Zindagi ke safar mein guzar jate hai jo mukam,wo phir nahi aate.…”
How can I forget the photographs taken by my Kodak camera. One reel would take 36 photographs. Thanks to it I have numerous albums full of memories of togetherness. In fact getting the photographs developed was another source of excitement. It broke our heart if they did not come out well.
Life was simple and contentment was easy to achieve. Small things gave immense joy.
Today, as I sit warmly snuggled in a blanket on a snowy January evening in Shimla, sipping a fragrant cup of kahwa,various questions arise in my mind.
When we bought our Radio-cum-Cassette player a license was needed. I wish it was mandatory right now too, looking at the negative effects of free access to media.
Where have these joyous moments disappeared in the mad rush for unrealistic achievements?
Why have we drifted apart from each other and hidden behind the facade of social media?
Come on friends in this New Year – 2020 let us resolve to celebrate each moment of our life….
This post is a part of #ALPxGUN BlogHop #BollyExpress hosted by Alpana andPraGun and sponsored by – Unorthodoxpeeps, RangPotli, ExploreKidsWorld, SoulfulFood and Praggatti Rao
Soulful musings.... 
I loved the line, I still hold on to the memories of a life where we celebrated moments. your post is so refreshing and it has opened the gate of memories. I also remember recoding songs in a cassette so that all the ones I loved were there! Then rewinding and listening to them so I could remember the lyrics. What lovely and simple days. I miss them. You are right, we have set u realistic expectations and miss the simple yet beautiful things. I simply loved your post!! Thanks for this
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Thank you so much for such a heartfelt message..Enjoy the ride into your childhood😍.Such wondrous moments…Happy to see that you liked it..😘
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Wow, pashmeena such nostalgic post you had written.
The rewinding of cassette and antenna ka adjustment, chitrahar, rangoli ke gaane and kodak capture moments.
You actually took me back to those simple yet fulfilling moments of life. I’m sure gonna open my box of pics & cassettes today to refresh the days.
Glad to have your post on #ALPxGUN #BollyExpress.
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Thank you so much for organizing this..Very happy to see that it took you back to your childhood.. Thanks a lot for enjoying it..
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This was the best post I read today,took me to my childhood n also letting me know his small n simple things mattered. Loved Ur style of writing. This write up was too gud
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Thank you so much for loving it😍
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Thank you so much for loving it..😍Thank you for appreciating my style of writing, means a lot😍Thanks again..😍
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Wonderful post. It took me down the memory lane. It left me nostalgic after reading about Kodak camera, radio and chitrahaar.Present generation kids don’t even know about its existence !
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Thanks a lot for enjoying it.You are right present generation does not know anything about these simple joys..Glad it brought back wonderful memories.Thanks..
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Loved your post, could relate to many of childhood stories. Each Bollywood song is crucial part of life journey.
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True,songs are well connected with daily life..Glad to see you liked it.Thanks..
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Sheer nostalgia. We are lucky to have lived the era of cassettes and antennas! Loved your post.
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Thanks a lot for loving it😊..We really had a wonderful childhood …
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Hi Pashmeena, I love and remember those times. I used to wait for Sundays and watch Mogli and sing along ‘Jungle jungle baat chali hai pata chala ki jaddi pehen ke phool khila hai phool khila hai’
Oh my god, miss them so badly.
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Thanks a lot😊 Those lovely times with Mowgli😊
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Ooo.. Pashmeena, Kya bolu? Your post made me nostalgic. It brought smile on my face but with a touch of emotions overflowing. You captured every details so beautifully. I often tell my daughter about these things and those golden days. Lovely post. Simple yet heartfelt. Thanks for writing it and also for participating in #ALPxGUN #BollyExpress
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Thanks a lot Alpana..The lovely prompts made to nostalgic.. Happy to see that it brought back wonderful memories..😊
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Feeling Nostalgic…..Loved your post Pashmeena, After reading I am still roaming into my childhood days, feel of those Sundays is badly missing now a days. Wish could rewind some moments of our life.
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Thanks a lot Archana for loving it😊 Glad that it brought happiness to you..Thanks..
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A trip down the memory lane… nostalgic …… there was constant smile on my face as i was exported to my childhood days…so well written… keep it up…
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Thank you so much😊Happy to see that you enjoyed it..Thanks..
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Lovely write up…….A thought provoking conclusion….we we have really drifted apart from each other and finding refuge in social media. There is loneliness creeping deep in the lives of the people. Your post is a reminder of the golden period that I as a child was fortunate to have. Bollywood songs specially of our times…timeless classics still alive within us. Possessing the maximum number and the latest cassettes was a proud gesture. We wouldn’t think even in dreams living without those most valuable possession but where did they disappear proving that nothing is permanent but only the change is. Loved your post and revived many memories and moments……….
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Thanks a lot 😊Loved your words immensely..Yes,you are right we used to feel elated if we had more cassettes than our friends.. Such a wonderful time it was full of simple joys…
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Wonderfully expressed …loved and relived every single moment .
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Thanks a lot for enjoying the jourmey through our childhood. 😊
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Thanks ma’am 😍😍😍😍 for taking us back to our lovely childhood days..adjusting anteena…I hv done it many times…we had time for everything…but today we are so busy making more friends on social media…rather than spending time with people who are close to us…
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Thanks a lot Vandana for enjoying it..😊It was such a joyous time.. Happy to see you that you were transported to your childhood…😊
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What a nostalgic post. You made me go down my memory lane😄
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Thanks a lot for enjoying the post…😊
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You took me back to the olden days…the words Chitrahaar, Ramayana….are very rare to listen these days. Thanks for refreshing my memories ❤️
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Thanks a lot 😊Hope you recalled lovely memories..😊
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Love love love the post. It took me back to my childhood. Door darshan days when we used to wait for a complete week to see what comes next. Choices were limited but joy was in abundance. Family gatherings were more fun in absence of phones. Life was simpler yet loving. Sadly we can’t get it back!!
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Thanks a lot for loving the post..😊Our childhood was such a lovely time..Hope you had a wonderful trip down memory lane…
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The rewinding of the cassette rewound my entire growing up years. Thank you for taking me there. And your last two lines are extremely pertinent in today’s times
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Thank you so much for enjoying it..😊Loved to hear that you found the last two lines worth observation…Thanks a lot…
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Chitrahaar, Ramayan… These are things long forgotten somewhere in the daily grind. Good you brought it up. So many memories attached with them. The signal, yes…
These simple pleasures are completely missing
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Thanks for enjoying the simple joys of childhood that I mentioned..I wish those simple and joyful days would come back..
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Nostalgic post filled with all the happy memories of our childhood. Those were simpler times.
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Thanks a lot for being part of the nostalgic journey.. 😊
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What a lovely post that took me to my childhood.. It is so sweet how most of us who were born in the 80’s lived such a similar childhood..Those were some good times
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Thanks for enjoying the post😊 We really had wonderful childhoods..
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Wow! What a happy and cute post! I relived my own childhood through this post. Thank you for this.
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Thanks a lot for your lovely words..😊Hope you enjoyed the journey back to your childhood..
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Wow Pashmeena, ye kya kya yaad dilaa diya aapne. So many memories, tape recorder, cassettes, that reel wala camera, reel ko wash karvane k liye dena, Ramanand Sagar ki Ramayan (uske jaisi dubara nahin bani). Just wow!!!
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Thanks a lot Aakanksha for such lovely words..Happy to see that you also have wonderful memories…😊 Those days were awesome…😊
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Ma’am wow. U rolled me in the memories that i had in the school with my friends and my childhood friends. Though i left the school but those memories will never be forgotten……
U really made me emotional 🥺🥺
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Great to read your comment Chirag😊..The childhood of my generation had all these simple joys…😊Time changes but memories never fade…😊
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There were more memories that we had together in class 9 though i have read from u only for one year but that year was so adorable ❤️💙
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It is great to be remembered Chirag..😊
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Great Pashmeena! Simple yet soulful writeup. Each line was easily relatable taking me back to olden golden days.
Recently while clicking pics with mobile I was just remebering that how those 24 or 36 photos clicked from a Kodak camera were a priceless possession as compared to today’s sea of photographs.
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Thanks a lot for loving the post..😊Hope you had a wonderful trip down memory lane..Loved your words of appreciation..😘
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Amazing write up which refreshed our childhood memories. Well done Pashmeena ma’am 👍👏🙂
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Thanks a lot for your appreciation😊Hope you enjoyed the journey into your childhood😍
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Wow diiii…. Amazing post….. Went to flashback when we use to adjust the antenna, watching chitrahaar, getting up on Sunday morning to watch Rangoli n many more things
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Thanks a lot for enjoying the journey into your childhood..😊 Nice to see that you have lovely memories too..
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A thing of beauty is a joy forever
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