Dear Appa,
Two days back it was the 9th year of your passing on …. and as it happens everyday, we were remembering many special moments with you. I was remembering your fascination for radios, tape recorders and VCRs. I still remember going one evening to the Secunderabad railway station and collecting that huge VCR that someone had bought from Singapore. The excitement of bringing it home and trying a video cassette. Then the many different radios that we always had at home. One of them was there till two years back and it doubled up as the TV stand.
Trying to catch different radio stations especially in Shillong and then the craze to get songs recorded. Your collection of audio tapes was also there till two years back… we just didn’t have any cassette player to play them on, except the one in the car. I still remember recording shlokas standing in front of the mirror in the bedroom in our Dehu Road home (T20, Garden City). Also recording Vimala Chithi. Then that tape which had a recording of my crying. I don’t think you kept up your word of playing it at my wedding and giving a copy to my husband :):). You probably felt Krishnan knew how to deal with me so let it be. Listening to Cho’s play “Tughlaq” on a cassette player in Shillong and laughing away at all his predictions. Funnily, most of them came true.
How times have changed ! Music is now streamed … or it is on the phone or the iPad. Every song that you want can be downloaded from somewhere. We have attended Nithyasree’s concert live and we were remembering you then. I play MLV’s Thiruppavai from the iPad every year.
So on 12th, Krishnan and I went to Galleria to buy a screen guard for Krishnan’s iPad. While we didn’t get the screen guard, we saw Saregama’s (erstwhile HMV) newest product – a radio that has 5000 songs pre-loaded. I had been seeing adverts for this product called “Carvaan” but didn’t want to buy it online. We tested the product and bought it. It has the entire Binaca Geetmala series with Ameen Sayani anchoring. Amazing collection of songs Appa … even Bhaja Govindam by MS Subbulakshmi. Just love the product because we can tune into FM channels as well besides these 5000 songs. Most of the 5000 songs are old Hindi film songs and its impossible to create that collection.
When I told my KV Happy Valley gang that I have bought this, Adeeti said she too had got one. So Bakre uncle’s daughter and your daughter continue their father’s likes !
Appa, because I bought it in your memory, I bought the white one, which was a 1000 rupees cheaper than the other colors. See, I didn’t waste money :). Have been listening to songs on this radio in the past two days and its a throwback to old times when there wasn’t this non-stop 24/7 TV channels and no internet to flood us with information. Feels good.
Wish you were here … would have got one of these for you. Btw Amma has conveniently shifted serving the charred dosas to me but I have ensured that she eats the mushy bananas. Idhayam gingelly oil is still going strong and she still doesn’t take the last portion of any leftovers. Guess some things won’t change.
Miss you Appa….
With lots of love
Malu.
Loved the narration.Touching indeed