The lockdown has got everyone reminiscing about the 90s. Adults are waking up to the theme song of Doordarshan’s famous Mahabharat, and siblings — who are now working professionals — are back to playing chess, carrom and snakes and ladders, like they use to in their childhood. For some, the lockdown has brought back memories of their school summer vacations, thus compelling one to feel nostalgic of the time when garmi ki chuttiyan used to be the highlight of the year.
“I live with my parents and grandparents, and this lockdown has brought back memories of my garmiyon ki chuttiyan,” says Meera Malkotia, a fashion designer who is living with her family in Gurugram amid the lockdown. She adds, “I am able to join dadi for the evening aarti at six because we don’t have to physically go to office for now. Dadi is so delighted that she treats us to aam panna, which she use to make for us in our childhood!”
Some city folks are revelling in all the time they’re able to get away from their hectic schedule, with their parents pampering them like they used to years ago. “It’s a hot summer morning. Mom is serving breakfast. Ramayan on the TV, and glasses of Rasna in our hand. Some ads on TV are also depicting a happy family. We’re having meals together. The blue skies can be seen from the windows like it was in our childhood, when the pollution was less. We also wait to watch Shaktimaan. Lockdown sure seems like a mother’s prayers being heard. It’s a perfect break from the chaos of the world,” says Soumyaa Shrivastava, a resident of Noida.
Some couples have also celebrated their wedding anniversaries, amid lockdown, in the 90s style! “Now that malls are closed and e-commerce sites are either out of stock or not delivering on time, I went old school to surprise my wife on our anniversary. I wrote a love letter to her in ink, and plucked flowers from our garden because I couldn’t get a bouquet delivered. She loved the gesture; it reminded her of the times when I used to gift her the plastic red rose from the Archies gift shop back in the 90s,” says Anukrit Gupta, a resident of Noida who recently celebrated his marriage anniversary amid the extended lockdown.
Mothers are doing all that they can to make their children’s birthday special. Gurugram resident Ruchika Trivedi, mother of a 10-year-old, “Meri beti ka birthday tha and lockdown mein party was not possible. Toh maine, uske birthday ke liye, ghar par chole bhature, rasgulle aur aaloo patties banaye. It took me back to my teenage years, when birthdays weren’t celebrated at Pizza Hut or any other restaurant, but at home where mom used to cook. Lockdown gave me an opportunity to do the same for my daughter. Hope she appreciates it.”
90s was a wonderful decade to live in, and while the lockdown might have slowed the paces of our modern lives, it has brought our evergreen memories back.
