Sunday, December 12, 2010

Shaily Baba

How many still remember the names Jagmohan Sahni, Pammi Sahni and Shaily Baba?

They constituted a chhota, perhaps sukhi, parivar living in Jhumri Talaiyya. I have no idea what Mr Sahni did for a living, but his secondary occupation was to write in to Vividh Bharati with requests for songs. In the post-card, he would also include his wife's and daughter's names. The idea, of course, was to listen to your names being read out on the radio. Who knows, Mr Sahni (or perhaps Mr Sawhney) must be gathering his neighbours around the radio set/transistor before the programme in which he expected the names to be mentioned began. "Aaj radio mein hamara naam aane wala hai!"

I have spent countless, yes countless, mornings and afternoons and evenings, listening to these names, among two dozen others, being read out by the announcer before he or she played the song of their choice.

Does anyone still listen to Vividh Bharati programmes; and if yes, do you still hear these names being read out? I am curious to know, because Shaily Baba must be grown up by now and I don't think she would still have 'Baba' attached to her name. And who knows, she must be possessing an iPod by now, playing the songs of her choice herself rather than wait for the announcer to do so.

Shaily Baba, are you listening?

7 comments:

Sudeep Chowdhuri said...

Dear BG,
I still listen to Vividh Bharati – sometimes.

Post-cards seem out of fashion, the requests come via SMS nowadays. Signal quality is rotten, often so are the choice of songs.

However, this seems to be about the only place I still hear the advertisements I heard when I was small, the same tones, with the same jingles – The Vicco one for instance, before Bhoole bichre geet.

A rather cheap way of travelling back in time.

Sepiamniac said...

brings a smile, instantly however, I feel sad that simplicity in life has been phased out....sigh!

Neha said...

I remember writing postcards; though not to Vivid Bharati, but those song shows on the TV. Those were the days. The current radio stations can never match that!

Lalit said...

BG
Can I renew my request to you
--------------------
BG you also seemed to listen to radio a lot
pl write a long post about yesteryears radio programmes during our childhood 80-90s
vivid bharti
Chayageet
Chitralok
Cibaca Geet mala
Sange...et sarita
early morning ramcharitmanas
the radio natak program in evening ?
sposored skits -
Maharaj mand buddi singh
centozen ki mehfil
Truckdriver & cleaner's serial
Promos of new films on radio (that was before TV)
Bournvita quiz contest

Anonymous said...

Iss gaane ko sun na chaha hai jhumri tallaya se Jagmohan sahni, pammi sahni, shaily baba, bittu, pinku, munnu aur unke mummy papa, vinay, munni, sheela, pappu, bunty aur unke pariwar ke sabhi log.
Toh lijiye suniye in sabki pasand ka ye do-gana, Mohd rafi aur lata mangeshkar ki aawaaz mein. Iss gaane ke bol likhe hain sahir ludhiyanvi ne, aur sangeet diya hai shankar jaikishen ne.

Anonymous said...

BTW, what makes you think that Shaily baba would be a girl? Usually baba is used with a male child.

Jil Jil Ramamani said...

I tried searching for the signals to listen to a few old songs. Couldn't catch them right.