Let’s sit in a time capsule and take a flight back to those memory lanes of 90s.
1. Writing Orkut Testimonials
In the mid-2000s, receiving a “testi” was the ultimate social currency, or rather, the peer currency. Before writing testimonials on LinkedIn in this era, we have been sending out flowery tributes to friends, which was how we defined our inner circles over the internet. Orkut testimonials were as good as a character certificate in those days.
2. Rewinding Cassettes with Pencils
Before digital streaming, we listened to music on cassettes. Side A and Side B held on those precious gems of songs which we hummed along or danced to – either by playing them on a Walkman or on cassette players. Often more than anything, the stuck-up loop had to be manually untangled, coming to the rescue with a hexagonal Nataraj pencil.
3. Blank Dials on Landlines
Prank calling involved heavy breathing or silent waiting on a rotary phone. The physical “click-clack” of the dial returning to zero added a unique suspense. How many of us here are also guilty of blank dialling our crushes just to hear a hello?
4. Burning CDs
Crafting the perfect “Mix CD” required patience and Nero Burning ROM. Those desired long playlists, or even better, the movies were meticulously fit within that precious 700MB limit for our crushes.
5. Retro Gaming Essentials
From the high-stakes tension of Nokia’s Snake to the pixelated speed of Road Rash, these games defined our early digital thrills long before the modern graphics of PUBG and Contra had!
6. The Computer Lab Ritual
Entering the computer lab was a sacred experience. Taking off shoes kept the dust away from those bulky CRT monitors in the school’s only air-conditioned room.
7. Walkmans and CD Players
The evolution from magnetic tapes to “anti-skip” Discmans marked our transition into the portable music era. I miss having the Philips Walkman and my bag full of cassettes sometimes. Yes, surely, listening to music on the phone is far better, but doesn’t our heart sometimes want the analog version of the music player, wherein music is not interrupted with calls or messages!
8. Sunday Morning Doordarshan
TV time was a family event centered around Chitrahaar and Chandrakanta. We lived for those iconic theme songs and the limited, precious hours of weekend broadcast.
9. Comic Book Summers
Long afternoons were spent under ceiling fans, lost in the adventures of Chacha Chaudhary and Sabu, Pinky and Billoo. Lucky ones could indulge in Mandrake and Phantom. These thin, colorful magazines were our primary escape from reality.
10. Slam Books
The precursor to social media profiles, slam books were passed around to capture friends’ “hobbies” and “crushes.” They remain physical archives of our most innocent secrets.
From the scribbling all information on slam books to the tongue in the cheek rewinding of a cassette tape, the 90’s were a golden era of simple joys. As we move forward, we carry that magic with us. It is a timeless reminder that even in a digital world, our roots remain beautifully analog.
How many of these catapulted you back to old days? You can also reach me on Facebook or Instagram to share your views, if there is any other you want to add to this list.
All the images are downloaded from Google
Ordo Ab Chao 
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