Nostalgia Unleashed: Growing Up in the '60s to '90s

Let’s take a walk down memory lane to revisit the lives of those born between 1960 and 1999, a time filled with unique and cherished moments.

From Stone Pencils to Hero Pens:

The era began with stone pencils, transitioned to Silo and Reynold pens, and was dominated by the iconic Hero Pen. Remember the joy of using Chelpark ink?

The Nataraj Pencil Box Era:

Nataraj Company's pencil boxes were prized possessions. Financial struggles were often visible through simpler school supplies. Shorts were the norm until the fourth grade, and students carried books in cloth or plastic bags. Economical aluminum boxes were a luxury, and books were often held together with rubber bands or elastic bands.

Rainy Day Adventures:

Rainy seasons meant catching fish and frog tadpoles from puddles, keeping them in bottles at home.

Candies and Treats:

Candy stores offered unwrapped candies, later evolving to singles and coffee bites wrapped in covers.

School Life and Festivities:

School life was incomplete without receiving punches from the master—a badge of honor with no complaints. Weddings in the neighborhood were festive delights, with homemade foods like fish curry, Achappam, and Kuzhalappam.

Traditional Schooling:

Masters taught the alphabet in Kalari, using sand and leaves. Once all alphabets were learned, the master was invited home for a feast.

Evening Light and Home Structures:

Most homes lacked electricity, relying on kerosene lamps, petrol maxes, chimney lights, and lanterns. Houses varied from thoseched with coconut leaves to those with palm roofs and asbestos sheets. Economical homes had red oxide or cement floors, often polished with dung.

Shopping Habits:

Items from grocery stores were wrapped in newspapers and tied with string. Bakeries offered bottled biscuits.

Culinary Delights and Media:

Hotel menus included porotta with egg, groundnut, or beef curry. Radios, tape recorders, and Akashavani were part of daily life.

Transportation:

Cars like Premier Padmini and Ambassador, along with Jeeps and Lorries, were common. Bicycles from Hero and Hercules were popular, with rentals for holiday rides.

Clothing and Community Spirit:

Before ready-made shirts, Bombay Dyeing fabrics ruled. Tailors were common. There was a strong sense of community, with neighbors sharing essentials like sugar and coconut oil.

Swimming and Fishing:

Fishing and swimming were common skills. Children used towels, while adults used nets during the rainy season.

Television Antics:

Adjusting the aerial for clear TV reception and watching cricket matches on DD-2 was a familiar scene.

Frozen Treats and Footwear:

Iceman on a cycle sold color ice for five paise. Wearing Paragon or Lunar Hawaii sandals in the rain created unique mud patterns on uniforms. Teenagers desired plastic sandals over Hawaii sandals and folding umbrellas over long ones.

Wedding Fun:

Hanging behind jeeps en route to weddings was a thrilling adventure.

Games and Magazines:

From playing wheelbarrow and gotti to video games and computer software games, childhood games evolved. Reading Balarama, Poombata, Balabhoomi, and Balamangalam transitioned to watching Shaktiman and Spiderman.

Cricket Heroes and Radio Recordings:

Imitating cricket heroes like Gavaskar, Kapil, Sachin, and Ganguly was common. We were the last generation to record radio songs on cassettes, with Sony being a popular brand.

Movies and Technological Growth:

Watching movies on VCR and VCP or on big cloth screens in community spaces was a treat. The transition from radio to Walkman and iPod, and from communal TV viewing to personal computers, marked significant changes.

Our generation has witnessed remarkable transformations, from simple beginnings to the digital age. These memories, filled with joy and simplicity, are the treasures of our youth.