By Naba Bhattacharjee
“The news, …. read by Surajit Sen”, is one daily announcement which remains distinctive when remembering the audio influence experienced during our early childhood days. The rich baritone was more about the voice and its modulation rather than news content, most of which was nevertheless beyond our understanding. This 8 A.M. broadcast alerted us to begin preparation for reaching school in time. In fact, radio was the most popular and sought after medium of entertainment provided through songs, radio plays, dramas and special programmes like cricket, football and hockey commentary where voices of the Sarbahdikarys, Sanyals Setalvads, Puris & Sayanis, interspersed with expert comments of legends like Lala Amarnath became entrenched in our memory. Gramophone record players and tape recorders were a luxury usually flaunted to important guest and relatives and used sparingly at home on weekends, holidays and outings. Listening to reading of interesting excerpt from books on a holiday afternoon among select friends, included among others the highly popular Billy Bunter series written by Frank Richards or passages from children’s classic – Aesop’s. Handerson, Dr. Seuss or Grimm. One hardly forgot the basic content of this interesting tryst.
Ringing of our school bell which could be heard far beyond the school precincts was another childhood audio enigma. It never failed to amaze me how ringing of the same bell could evoke different emotions within a span of few hours, depending on the time of the toll. In the morning it was a terrifying opponent trying to run me out in the race against its final toll. At noon it was symbol of sympathy, responding to the rumblings in our stomach and declaring lunch. And the toll pronouncing end of class for the day was sublime and the bell our sweetheart. It was almost as if the bell and its toll were controlling our life on school days while teasing and testing with the challenge of a warning bell between the first bell and the late bell. Storytelling or listening to a story being related is both innate to the human psyche. The later was a fascinating childhood experience as a well told story can be the best, most positive way to learn. And the stories had morals “The Tortoise and the Hare” taught that dedication and sincerity is rewarded. “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” warned of the dangers of dishonesty. Our children are also exposed to stories. TV is one story after another. Movies are long stories. Even video games tell stories – often disturbing ones. Are we losing the magic of a parent telling a well-chosen story for the purpose of teaching a moral lesson?