Being a 90’s kid, I had the joy of witnessing the great transition from black-and-white TV to colour. Back then, television wasn’t a 24×7 affair like it is today. We had fixed days, fixed time slots, and a handful of serials that the entire family eagerly waited for. Looking back, that limitation was a blessing—it made TV a treat, not a habit.
Sundays Meant Cartoons
Sunday mornings were sacred, not for temple visits, but for our cartoon rituals! Tom and Jerry’s endless chases, The Jungle Book with Mowgli and the unforgettable “jungle jungle baat chali hai…”, the friendly dinosaur Sabu/Sanu the Dinosaur, and later, Aladdin with his magic carpet—these shows filled our mornings with laughter and wonder. Those characters weren’t just entertainment; they were part of our growing-up stories.
The Divine Lineup
Evenings, on the other hand, were often devoted to mythological serials. There was a whole lineup—shows about Lord Shankar, Hanuman, Ganesha, Krishna, and of course, the grand epic Mahabharata. Families gathered together to watch these stories unfold. They weren’t just serials; they were lessons, tales of values, courage, devotion, and morality. Watching them felt like opening a treasure chest of wisdom and culture.
The best part? Because the shows were limited and came only at certain times, we had plenty of hours left in the day. We ran around outdoors, played cricket in the lanes, cycled for hours, or simply made up games with friends. TV entertained us but never ruled our lives.
When I think back now, it feels like we grew up with a rare treasure. A handful of shows, a lot of imagination, and endless free time to live life beyond screens. Perhaps that’s what made growing up in the 90s so special—television was part of our childhood, but it never became our childhood.
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