Nostalgia trip, through the waves

When I turned the online Hindi radio to the oldies channel, rest assured, I did not know I was setting myself up for a trip down nostalgia lane.

At that moment I was not thinking about any trip. All I wanted was some background music while I cooked in the kitchen. I was going in and out of the fridge, pantry and freezer, trying to figure out what I could possibly scrounge up for dinner when all I had were tomatoes, onions, potatoes and a variety of dried legumes and pulses. Maybe I was looking for some inspiration in the music! Anyway, that is the story of my life - more about that later.

As the scrounging was happening, Asha, Rafi, Lata and Kishore were singing to me.

saare zamaane se, mausam suhane se, is dil deewane se, veerani si chaayi, aap aaye bahaar aayi

hai apna dil to awaara, na jaane kispe aayega

yeh shaam ki tanhaiyan, aise me tera gham

ude jab jab zulfein teri, ude jab jab zulfein teri

I felt a jerk in my mind and instantaneously, I was taken to the streets of Delhi. I started thinking about these songs playing on our radio at home. On that one channel on TV, good ole Doordarshan, and the one and only song program, good ole Chitrahaar.

Sitting in the living room and watching the songs play on TV.

Listening to the songs playing on Vividh Bharati.

The balcony with the pigeons.

Taking the lift down and walking to the bus stop, with my sisters, at 7 in the morning and waiting for the school bus. Waving to my parents before I went out of view on my way to the bus stop. Always finding one of them there, waving back.

Wearing white uniform on Saturdays.

Coming home after a long day at school. Drinking a glass of cold milk.

The kitchen. My mother making rotis for dinner.

I felt an amazing sense of nostalgia and wanted to go back to the pure, simple days of childhood. One song took me back years. It wasn’t about that particular song.

It was the realization that I may never know what might trigger a response that will take me back decades. I do not know now and I will not know ten years from now.

aaj purani raahon se, koi mujhe aawaz na de

dard me doobe geet na de, gham ka sisakta saaz na de