One channel after another! The TV remote control never stops. Nothing holds your interest for too long. You come across some gaudy remakes of serials that touched your heart some years back. You shun the transformation. Your mind compels you to think, "Those were the days…"
Let's take a walk down memory lane, and revisit those golden days. The days, when serials kept your entire family glued to that couch. Let's explore the world of divine Doordarshan.
Ramayan & Mahabharat 
Remember how the streets suddenly went silent at 9am every Sunday? The city buzz stopped for a while. Reason? Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan and B.R Chopra's Mahabharat. These sagas were lively, and every dialogue was a lesson in itself. The battles fought on Kurukshetra felt like our own. All the mythological characters had a gratifying grace. Don't commit a mistake, i.e. don't compare the new one with this one. It's an insult.
Vikram Aur Betaal 
Undoubtedly, one of the wittiest serials in the history of Indian tellyland. Arun Govil as Vikram and Sajjan as Betaal created an exceptional magic. The VFX'S though not too advanced were believable and forced us to ponder over those bold questions put up by Betaal.
Fauji
Fauji gave us King Khan. Remember watching the passionate SRK as Abhimanyu Rai. Shah Rukh had his own charm and his every dialogue oozed out patriotism. He went on to rule our hearts on the big screen!
Malgudi Days
Tana na tana na re...all the oldies and newbies used to hum this tune. Simple stories but what an impact! Just watching each episode was like visiting the rural heart of south India. R K Laxman's work brought enough tears and smiles to everyone.
Shriman Shrimati
A thought provoking serial through tongue-and-cheek humour. Situations revolved around Prema Shalini, Kekuji and Dilruba made us roll with laughter. Late Jatin Kanakia, Archana Puran Singh, Rakesh Bedi and Reema Lagoo spread the laughter riot across the nation. You can now catch the reruns on Sab at 7.30 pm.
Byomkesh Bakshi
This Bengali Sherlock Holmes was our favourite. We would all try to solve the cases with Rajit Kapur who played the nerdy, but brave detective. Every episode was a mix of Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot and Father Brown stories. We still miss those lanes and gullies of Kolkata, aptly captured on TV.
Alif Laila
The series based on Arabian Nights was every kid's fantasy. Sagar brothers have always entertained us with heart warming stories. We were thrilled by those courageous adventures, weird monsters and spooky caves.
Surabhi
Yet another masterpiece from DD. India's culture was beautifully exhibited and promoted by this show. Who can forget the voice of Siddharth Kak and the sweet smile of Renuka Shahane - the hosts of the show! It was our very own Lonely Planet, taking us to the nook and corners of our motherland.
Shanti
This was before the noodle strap blouses made Mandira Bedi a star. It won't be wrong if we say whatever Mandy Babe is today is thanks to Shanti. India's first daily soap opera was a hit with everyone. Every chachi, mausi wept and smiled with Shanti.
Chitrahaar
Sunday mornings are not the same without Chitrahaar and Binaca Geet Mala. These music shows were the foundation of all countdown shows today. We all watched our old black-n-white TV sets with a certain awe and madness. These serials make us nostalgic.
And what are most of us hooked on to today? Shinchan, Splitsvilla or those endless saas-bahu serials. Do we relate to these serials? The answer is best known to us. Only if time can take us back.
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Good old DD days 
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Originally Posted by gothic_coder 
