Recollecting AIR memories

C S Radha Devi - who was an integral part of every household even before the 1950s when Travancore radio station merged with the All India Radio - sat amid a small group of Akashvani enthusiasts and recollected their memories. "We did not have the technology that is available these days. We gave sound effects with available, limited resources. Crows and cuckoos were all our voices," she said during the monthly rendezvous 'Trivandrum Talkies'.

Unnikrishnan Unnithan, assistant station director of AIR, recalled how they created background scores with local resources. "To convey the sound of clatter of hoofs of a horse we knocked coconut shells on to the hard surfaced studio walls. For rain, we poured fine sand on a newspaper kept on the ground. The rubbing of two sandpapers gave the sound of steam engine," he said. "Vaarthakal vaayikunnathu Ramachandran- this phrase gave me Goosebumps each time I heard it as a child,'' said music critic T P Sasthamangalam . Participants also said the Malayalam used by Akashvani executives helped them immensely to fine-tune their language.

The discussion concluded on a positive note as many pointed out how radios have made a comeback to households. "A sales guy at the biggest electronics retail shop in the city told me they had 150 radios sold out every month and are waiting for new stock," said Unnikrishnan. Trivandrum Talkies, an initiative of Open Space, is a monthly get together to discuss city's nostalgic past. Every second Saturday evening, the group meets at University Women's association hall, Jawahar Nagar to discuss a fresh topic.