A few weeks back, I read a book called ‘Patna Roughcut’. Its one of those nice little books that reminded me of ‘The Wonder Years’, except that this one is non linear even in terms of narrators (not just narrative). While it is set in Patna and Delhi, I could identify a lot of the stuff – something I described in my short review as “you know you were a kid in india in the 80’s ” moments.
A few days later, I had a conversation with someone on GTalk, about Thums Up and Frooti and all those drinks that existed in the 80’s and 90s, some of which, like Gold Spot and Sprint don’t even exist now, except in our memories. I realised that inspite of the vast distance between us, in terms of geography, we had a few culture icons that transcended it. That includes consumer items like those soft drinks, ads like Surf-Lalitaji, Lijjat Papad, Rasna, serials like Humlog, Mr.Yogi, Buniyaad, books – Amar Chitra Katha and Indrajal and many other things.(if you have been reading this blog post 2005, you might like to read that post, its one that’s very close to my heart)
I wonder whether there’s an inverse proportion between the maturing of a country/economy and the common memory of generations. I can imagine the earliest generation of our free country, who had a bond – they’d rejoiced on Aug 15th, 1947 and then watched, or sometimes, suffered, the horrors of partition. Later generations who could associate with Jawaharlal Nehru’s socialist monuments (from dams to PSUs), the assassination of Indira Gandhi and where they were when they heard it, the triumph of a cricket world cup, and for us liberalisation and a new economy that changed everything forever.
And while we have an SRK, a Tendulkar, a Dhoni, perhaps even a Vishwananathan Anand that binds us, in essence we’ve boiled down to Bollywood and Cricket as our icon providers. Everything else pales in comparison, and is at best, a regional influence. A single DD channel doesn’t find a place now even in our favourites, and the same goes for brands across categories. Sometimes I wonder, when the post 2000 generation is all grown up, whether they’ll only be able to relate to those whom they’ve known through some earlier association, like a school or college, and relate only because of those shared memories. Are they missing out on a large collective consciousness, one in which even this generation can relate to someone of their own age, simply because they’ve grown up in the same era? Maybe there are icons that I know nothing of, after all I belong to an earlier set. 🙂
until next time, nostalgia trips 🙂
and on the blog today.. something in common… https://manuscrypts.com/?p=1375
Rasna, Sprint, Gold-Spot, naranga muttayi, parrys green and orange muttayis – memories which are always a part of my childhood memories… Gold-Spot is the first cool drink I tasted, and it was my grandpa who brought me that. Now every one is spoiled for choices…
quite true.. I recently had a conversation with my colleagues about the cold-drinks of 80s and early 90s – each of us remembered all the cold-drinks. These days when I go to buy a cold-drink I say “Coke”, the other guy invariably replies “Pepsi”, or “ThumsUp”, no “Coke” .. or I say Fanta, the shopkeeper replies Mirinda – and I keep wondering what is the difference!
Check my blog: You have a surprise waiting for you 🙂
🙂
i loved those days…. things weren’t so “commercialised” as they are now… recently we watched NDTV.com live tv on the computer to see the Mumbai Attacks news and we were horrified at how adult and sex injected the advertisements had become!!! when i was younger the ads were so witty and humorous without any innuendos in them and they were REALLY funny!…now its so crass.
sniff. miss those days.
Nostalgiaaaaahhh….
Gold Spot. I used to love that drink. Its always nice to go down memory lane. Gold Spot the zing thing !! 🙂
Heres the ad : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rS2n18lTCSo
There was a drink called ‘Double Cola’ and then Double 7 ! That was the best drink for a long time !!
I also guess some of those times are interwoven with our own spirit of those times…with a carefree wind in the hair and the recession proofing by the folks at home..!!
Seeing as I am a nostalgia leech, this post was so fun to read. =)
All i can say is that your post was extrememly nostalgic. Changes happened so quickly. Great post Manu.
anoop: yes, the ‘bakery and cool drinks’ shops 🙂
kunal: we are brand conscious 🙂
abhishek: saw that, thank you 🙂
pallavi: 😀
austere: 🙂 indeed
grafx: have you taken the doordarshan ads quiz on fb? its fun 🙂
kavi: i remember double cola.. liked it better than thums up… the associated happiness ensures that these memories are retained longer than others..
amdp: 🙂
eveline: yes, time passes in the blink of an eye.. thanks 🙂
80s were something else and when we look back, it seems to move in slow motion. Nothing was rushed. Goldspot, Thums up, Campa Cola, Limca..yes Mr.Yogi
Let me take you back into the 80s for a minute – check out http://www.thecomicproject.blogspot.com – Indrajals + Mr.India a full comic book.