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Memoirs
Surabhi Ke Sunehre Pal
by Yamini Ayyagari
• What is
special about Aaina Mahal? Where is it located?
• In which tribe in India is Red Ant chutney a delicacy?
• Who are Bene Israelis and what is unique about their cultural
identity?
• In which state of India do people wrestle without using their
hands?
• What is Nastarang?
• What is an Imambara?
No, these are not questions of quiz. But in a way, they are too -
questions from the Sawaal Jawab section of a television
programme; questions that made you rack your brain; questions that you
wanted to find an answer to in any which way you can with the limited
resources one had, especially in those non-googling days; and if you
couldn't find the answer questions that made you wait eagerly for the
next episode of the show in which answers were revealed. Does this
strike a chord?
In early nineties, when Doordarshan was still the prime channel of the
nation and cable television was in its state of infancy, a program on
the national channel captured the imagination of the nation in a way
nothing else had. The accolades this show received is actually
mind-boggling. Take a look at this:
• Limca
record for the longest continuous anchoring of a TV series
• India TV Academy's Milestone Award
• TV & Video World Critics Award for the Most Outstanding TV Series
• TV & Video World Critics Award for Best Series
• Limca Record for the Highest Measured Viewership
• Limca Record for the Longest Running Programme on Prime Time
And that is
not a complete list. Does that strike a chord?
 Remember
Renuka Shahane and Siddharth Kak? Remember Surabhi? To me and
many others I am sure, Surabhi is indeed one of the defining
programs of Indian television. It began in 1991 and very soon became the
much-awaited programme of the week. When it began, not many would have
expected it to enrapture TV audiences year after year. But it did. And
for eleven years Surabhi brought the beauty of India and its
people to one's drawing room. No one really expected the show to
enthrall in such a manner, running at prime time as long as it was on
air. But it did, and in what manner!
I have often wondered about Surabhi's popularity. What was it
about the programme that had audiences asking for more? Was it to do
with the girl/boy-next-door anchors of the show? Was it to do with the
toothy smile of Renuka Shahane or the extremely endearing Siddharth Kak?
Was it to do with the format of the show itself - highly simple, yet
extremely enjoyable? Or was it to do with the emotions it evoked in
every person - sense of pride and wonder at who we are, what we are and
the unique history, culture and tradition we shared as a nation?
I believe it was all of this and more. The greatest plus about
Surabhi was definitely its anchors. This, as far as I remember
(apart from Ashok Kumar as the sutradhaar of Hum Log) was one of
the earliest anchor-based shows of Indian televisions. Renuka and
Siddharth became household names and were much loved by every one. What
also helped was that it was a knowledge-based show without being
didactic. In its format lay its appeal. And finally, what also spoke for
the programme was the "Indianness" that seemed to waft through the
entire show - the show of course was about India; but the sets, even the
way Renuka and Siddharth dressed, added to the entire theme of the show.
What also helped in the popularity of the show was the timing itself -
in the nineties India was going through a transition; the economy was
opening up and the fundamentalist forces were on the rise; even as a
part of India was jumping on to the "modernization" bandwagon, there was
a part of each one of us which wanted to hold on to age-old traditions.
At a time such as this, Surabhi seemed to redefine us in some
way, give us an identity, showcase what it meant to be Indian.
Whatever it was, Surabhi created history becoming probably the
only show to enter the Limca
Book of Records as the only
programme to receive the highest ever documented response in the history
of Indian television - over 1.4 million letters in a single week!
Interestingly, this at a time when audience had no access to SMS or
EMail! This itself speaks volumes about the programme.
I am not sure why this show has never made a comeback on the innumerable
channels we have today. There should definitely be takers for it.
Why do I think of this show now? A desultory stroll into BookPoint and a
cursory glance at this
book brought back
innumerable memories. Surabhi Ke Sau Sawaal is a compilation of
questions and answers from the show's Sawaal Jawab section, one
of its most awaited segments. The questions and answers have been
compiled by Siddharth Kak himself. The questions asked in this section
of the show were not only posers to the brain, but also helped a lot of
us reacquaint ourselves with our culture, history, folklore and a lot
more.
Go get the book - you are certain to immerse yourself in it, having a
"enjoyable time, quizzing, wondering & learning, the way millions of
Indians did when this show was on air". It is sure to bring back a lot
of Surabhi ke sunehre pal.
October 22,
2006
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Memoirs
The Week of October 22, 2006
The Cover-up of HDW, Airbus Scams by Rajinder
Puri
The Main Contenders: Presidential Elections in
India by Dr. Subhash Kapila
Bush Whacked by Gaurang Bhatt, MD
Making the Joint Terrorism Mechanism Work by
Col. Rahul K. Bhonsle
A Menacing Neo-Jinnah (Quaid-e-Azam) in U
P by V. Sundaram
Hydroelectric Projects in the Shadow of
Avalanches by VK Joshi
Changing Scenarios ... Women's Lib to Men's Lib
by Naira Yaqoob
Professor K. Swaminathan : A Himalayan Professor
and Savant by V. Sundram
Runa Banerji: The Woman Behind SEWA by Rajsaran
Varma
Making Menopause Easier by Neeta Lal
Beating About the Breast by Elayne Clift
Circumcise and Live by Crespo Sebunya
Use TV as a Channel for Peace by Noa Cohen
The Other Cola War by Nilanjana Biswas
A Safe Place for Men by Nitin Jugran Bahuguna
Reclaiming Streets for Women by Anuja
Mirchandaney
Tryst with Nehru by VK Joshi
The Law by Kumud Biswas
The Remix Revolution by Ramendra Kumar
Surabhi Ke Sunehre Pal by Yamini Ayyagari
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