The Golden Days of Radio: A Nostalgic Journey Through Time

In the evenings, my mother would tune into another show broadcasted by All India Radio in Pashto, and we all gathered to listen.

"Mandezi, Fazal Qadir from Charsadda has requested a Noor Jehan song for us. Accompanying him are Inayatullah, Wasiullah, little Shagufta, and little Alamgir. So, let's listen to their beautiful request." After the song: "You are listening to this program on Radio Pakistan, Medium Wave."

As kids, this familiar voice echoed through various streets as we returned home from school. There was a unique pleasure in listening to those songs and programs. In the evenings, my mother would tune into another show broadcasted by All India Radio in Pashto, and we all gathered to listen. 

The enjoyment was immense, whether it was summer or winter, especially when we visited our aunt's house in a remote mountainous village. There was no electricity there, so after an early dinner, we would all lie down on our charpoys. As the evening silence settled over the mountains, the radio's voice would carry far and wide, and perhaps it still does today.

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We listened to All India Radio Delhi's Pashto program with our eyes closed. My uncle would write letters to request songs for Rahindar Swati's show, and the joy we felt when our names were called out is indescribable.

Gradually, times changed, and the FM era began. Music became more modern, and the tradition of sending letters was replaced by SMS, allowing people to request songs via mobile messages. The beauty of FM radio was its clear sound, and our messages were received instantly.

People enjoyed all kinds of music, listening to FM on their mobile phones while on the go. But time moved on, and with the rise of social media, the decline of radio began. The need to request songs, write letters, or send messages faded away. Now, anyone can listen to their favorite songs whenever they want, without any distortion or interruption.

But the charm of those days is lost—the joy of listening to requested songs, waiting all week for our letters to be read out, and hearing our names announced on a program broadcast from another country.

Today, thanks to social media and YouTube, we can listen to our favorite songs anytime, anywhere. Yet, the pleasure and enjoyment of music we experienced in our childhood are missing.

With the advancement of technology, new inventions are constantly emerging, and as the world introduces new things, the old ones begin to fade. The new generation, savvy with social media, is entirely unaware of these aspects of our time.

The world is progressing, with new inventions coming to light every day. But to me, nothing can dim the beauty of the inventions of my childhood because back then, there was peace and silence, and everything was valued. Today, it feels like there's a race to keep up with everything.