Aadhya Dhar
The catchy tune of “AIR FM GOLD!” still resonates in my mind every Sunday morning. We don’t have a stereo device like the one my grandfather did back in 2012 anymore. Although, waking up to the familiar voices of Akashvani and All India Radio News remains a cherished childhood memory.
With most family members rushing off to work in the mornings, my grandfather would typically be occupied with breakfast preparations or tending to his tomato plants in the garden. Therefore, he would usually peruse the newspaper a bit later in the day. To satisfy his appetite for the “taaza khabars”, he had his trusty black and blue radio, a constant companion that he would carry to every room he entered.
I would often join him in listening to the broadcasts while working on a painting or solving puzzles. Admittedly, I didn’t always grasp everything the lady on the tiny, compact device was saying; she spoke rather quickly. Nonetheless, I soaked in a wealth of knowledge from the reports playing in the background.
As the day unfolded, my grandfather and I would venture to the local farmer’s market or sometimes explore the lane lined with butcher shops and seafood vendors. Most of the big, old shop owners and butchers there also had their own small stereo devices, tuned in to cricket commentary or intermittent music between commercial breaks, all while sorting through stacks of spinach, sacks of potatoes, or selecting the day’s catch.
I would gaze ruminatively at the tiny metal tip of the antenna, extending far beyond my size at the time, until it emitted that distinctive tinny sound that would often vex my ears. My grandfather would then step in, adjusting the buttons on the radio until the lady would start to speak again.
Radios, though seemingly obsolete in today’s world, held immense value in my upbringing. They served as my window to global events, fostering debates and discussions with every member of the family. They ignited my passion for knowledge and developed my instinctual sense of discerning truth, ethics, and morality in my surroundings.
To me, the radio was not merely a small device with infinitesimal capabilities; it represented a boundless realm of information, opportunities, and a host of childhood memories I continue to admire.
No responses yet