Murphy Radio and Radio Ceylon
By Kamla Bhatt • Sep 3rd, 2012Category: Books, Movies, Music, Televison, Bollywood, Bombay/Mumbai, Diaspora, India, People, Podcast, YouTube Videos
Murphy radio and Radio Ceylon mentioned in Ala Barfi song from the upcoming Bollywood film Barfi have probably opened the floodgates of happy radio memories for millions of people that grew up in India. Swanand Kirkire brilliantly captures a slice of Indian life that is probably disappearing. There was a time when Murphy radio and Radio Ceylon played a central role in providing entertainment for millions of Indians.
Murphy radio and Radio Ceylon bring back warm memories of entertainment for those who grew up in the pre-MTV and pre-Internet era. Think the 1950s through 1980s when music streamed through those tiny transistors or radios that were a permanent fixture in millions of homes across India. This was an era of shortwave radio, All India Radio and Doordarshan. Radio Ceylon was the Pandora and Spotify for the analog generation of India, where some lucky ones may have worked on mainframe computers and WordStar programs on their very first personal computers.
Murph radio meant the iconic Murphy baby, whose face smiled down to us from various shops and hoardings. I remember the Murphy radio baby smiling down at me from its hoarding on Mount Road in Madras. Yes, that is right I thought that little baby was staring down at my little face and smiling at me. I bet you that many people ended up buying a Murphy radio because of that baby and that wide-eyed and happy expression on its face. Who was that Murphy baby in real life? Turns out it was 3-year old Kagyur Tulku Rinpoche from Manali in Himachal Pradesh, who is now married to actress Mandakini of Ram Teri Ganga Maili fame.
And what streamed through that Murphy radio in many people’s home? It was Radio Ceylon, which brought the latest and greatest Hindi songs to its listeners. Radio Ceylon also meant listening to Ameen Sayani, the legendary broadcaster, whose hit radio program Geet Mala started in 1952 and continued for over 30 years. Radio Ceylon was the go-to-station for the latest and greatest songs from Hindi (Bollywood) films. Listeners from all over India like Jhumaritalaya to Yavatmal sent in their requests to Radio Ceylon and then heard their favorite song over their shortwave radios.
Now, 60 yeas after Geetmala started and made Radio Ceylon a household names, here come Ala Barfi with its references to 2 forgotten pieces of radio’s rich legacy in India – Murphy radio and Radio Ceylon. Can you imagine the happy memories this song would have triggered in people’s mind? Can you imagine the conversation in desi living rooms around Murphy radio and Radio Ceylon? I know this song brought back memories to me and thanks to Swanand Kirkire’s whimsical and beautiful Ala Barfi lyrics.
Here are the lyrics of Ala Barfi that refers to Murphy radio and Radio Ceylon.
Barfi jab amma ji ki kokh mein tha soya
Amman ne murfi ka radio mangaya
Murfi jaisa lalla amma ka tha sapna
Munna jab haule-halue duniya mein aaya
Baba ne Ceylon wala station
Radio on hua amma off hui
Toota har sapna
Oh o ye..
Related Links:
Ameen Sayani on Radio Ceylon’s Geetmala and Bournvita Quiz Contest (podcast)
I agree with you post it will remind people like us about radio. Now time changed and we don’t have time for this kind of entertainment.
Rinpoche , at most can be a duplicate murphy baby. The original was european.
Did see Barfi! this past Friday and also found a link to all the songs here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4qBfcF6KK0.
Very nice movie and music.