Radio – My Constant Song Companion

Radio has been a fascinating means of communication and entertainment. From its advent in 1880s to the first commercial radio station in 1920s to setting up the first radio station in India as Akashvani, radio has indeed come a long way. Like someone has said – Radio is the theatre of the mind. Perfect medium for broadcasting poetry, songs, news etc because there is no visual distraction. One can listen to it all day without stopping his/her routine job. With television or now even internet life tends to become standstill. But with the radio on, life goes on. Plus it is as if the radio is talking to each one of us personally and intimately.
Radio and me have been pals since I was 3 years old!!! My mom being a teacher in school used to be away and my dad, an architect, stayed out of town for his job. And I grew up staying with my naani and maasi. My maasi being a singer at AIR and also a music teacher in school, that music ka keeda in me was put by her, though not consciously. My day began with the radio at 6 am with Bhakti sangeet. And the radio grew on me, slowly but steadily. Now it has spread all over me. I can’t stay away from my radio. Radio is the one that introduced me not only to amazing music but also its exponents….from classical ones like Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Sudhir Phadke, Pandit Jasraj…..to Hindi film music. Later on came the LP records in my life, I remember listening to Chitra – Jagjit Singh’s Sarakhti jaaye hai rukh se naqaab which was their first LP (again at my maasi’s place). Ameen Sayani happens to be another such person who made me believe in my love for the radio and helped it to grow much more dense. The way his voice still haunts my mind. Goosebumps!!! Now I have an independent radio where it plays Vividhbharati, almost the entire day. Programmes like Aaj Ke Fankaar, Sakhi Saheli, SMS ke bahane VVS ke taraane, Chitralok, Ek hi film se, Pitara, Aap ki farmaish and more are so close to my heart. With its restored archives, VVS (Vividhbharati Seva) is a heritage. Bringing back the golden days of the gone era. While I’m driving, Vividhbharati/radio is my constant companion, the other FM channels are too commercial to understand anything. May be because I belong to the old school. Sometimes the radio understands your frame of mind too. Playing songs one after another which describe the situation of your mind or even your thought process. In tune with me, it plays the songs which my mind requests, fuelling the imagination. I think the radio might be singing this song for me –

Aap ke anurodh pe
Main ye geet sunata hoon
Apne dil ki baaton se aap ka dil behlata hoon
Aap ke anurodh pe….
Mat poochho auron ke dukh mein
Yeh prem kavi kyun rota hai
Bas chot kisi ko lagti hai
Aur dard kisi ko hota hai
Door kahin koi darpan toote
Tadap ke main reh jaata hoon
Aap ke anurodh pe….

Main pehne phirta hoon jo
Woh zanjeerein kaise banti hain
Yeh bhed bata doon geeton mein
Tasveerein kaise banti hain
Sundar honthon ki laali se
Main rang roop churata hoon
Aap ke anurodh pe….

While I write this there are a number of songs in my mind where they show playing it on a radio. Example this song from Jurmana. The song beautifully describes the young silly love which is ignored initially as infatuation but ultimately it becomes the love of your life or your inseparable companion…..just like me and my radio!!

Jab hum miley the piya
Tum kitne naadaan the
Hum kitne anjaan the
Baali umariya mein naina ladey…