Those peaceful days without cell phones, ever-buzzing notifications, and the pressure to stay connected 24×7—yes, I am talking about the 90s. A time when our eyes were more familiar with playground dust than glowing screens, and luxury meant upgrading from a landline to a cordless phone.
I lived through the 90s, and for me, it truly was a golden period, even without modern conveniences.
School holidays meant actually playing with real friends. Sundays were incomplete with the echoing chant of Shaktimaan—our very own Indian superhero. (I bet the title music is playing in the back of your mind right now.)
Cartoons were simple, joyful, and oddly aspirational. DuckTales made us dream of a tijori as big as Uncle Scrooge’s, while TaleSpin had us wishing we could fly a plane like Baloo. There was the looming threat of Sher Khan, the comfort of Mickey and Minnie, and Goofy’s harmless chaos—a fantastical Disney world that felt magical.
Watching television was never a solitary act; it was a family ritual.
Siblings gathered in front of the TV, arguing over channels and eventually fighting over the remote. The television didn’t isolate us—it united us.
A few days ago, while cleaning my closet, I stumbled upon my cherished autograph—or slam—book. Its cover was adorned with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in the iconic pose from the movie Titanic. Holding it instantly transported me to a time when choosing these books was an event in itself, and getting them filled by friends and favourite teachers felt so exciting. Every page carried handwritten notes, inside jokes, confessions, and promises—memories we carefully preserved long before cloud storage existed. Pure nostalgia, isn’t it?
Back then, shopping too had a rhythm. It wasn’t impulsive or daily—it was festival-oriented. Durga Puja or Holi meant new clothes, carefully chosen, worn with pride, and remembered for years—sometimes even passed down to younger siblings or cousins. Eating out wasn’t routine either; it was a monthly celebration, an event worth looking forward to.
Even power cuts carried a strange kind of magic. Nights without electricity meant stargazing from the verandah, getting lost in the mysteries of the universe, or sitting on the terrace with siblings and friends, whispering stories under candlelight. When darkness surrounded us, we would simply light a candle, make animals with our hands, and watch their shadows dance over the candle flame. Simple acts but full of joy.
All these small moments make me realise that things were less accessible back then.
And perhaps, because of that, more beautiful.
Today, the world rushes ahead at an alarming speed. Groceries arrive in ten minutes, food travels across cities to reach us warm, and literally anything can be bought with a single click. Convenience surrounds us—but somewhere along the way, it has robbed us of the joy of waiting, of anticipation, of longing.
Maybe we live in a highly competitive, sharp-edged world now—one that demands constant movement and leaves little room to pause. We seek rejuvenation because exhaustion has become the norm. And sometimes I wonder—why did the world transform this way?
I wish we still had the chance to live in the 90s.
Or at least, to carry a little of its slowness, warmth, and togetherness into the lives we lead today.
The golden days remind me of innocence,
The simple joys and a heart full of laughter,
Less technology but more social,
Less convenience but deeper joys,
Less noise, yet more meaning,
Less hurry, yet richer moments,
When time moved slowly,
And life felt complete in its quiet simplicity.
PS: This post was published in Thought Lantern magazine (February 2026 edition) founded by Palak Chauhan.
PS: This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla
Cerebration 
Oh Pinki! Your post was pure nostalgia! It took me back to my childhood and I found myself saying, ‘Those were the days’ just as i find myself repeating this line often.
I loved reading this post so much. I have repeated myself many times earlier when I say I love your writing style, and it just enhaced this post and my memories of teh days gone by.
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Thank you so much for the kind words. I am glad the post could rekindle your memories of the golden days.
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From DD to smartphones, life get busier and volatile. The convenience comes at the cost of patience and stability. Tech is good, but the slow speed gave us the ability to think and act sensibly. Now, I feel we are walking on glass pieces, people act and react differently.
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Yes true! I too feel life without the modern conveniences were different and much better. Everything is changing, we are changing.
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Pure nostalgia, especially shopping which happened only for festivals, and if there was extra money, then maybe birthdays, too. Yet, there were fun times.
While I love my phone, I do remember the fun during power cuts playing hide and seek in the dark, lit only by moonlight.
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Thank you so much! I am so glad the nostalgic bits resonated with you
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I absolutely echo your thoughts about those 90s childhood days, especially around shopping. Shopping was twice a year for Durga Puja and Bengali New year, unlike these days of perennial amazon impulse buys
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Yes, Amazon has spoiled us and in a way also killed the joy of shopping. That’s what too much convenience does to us 😅
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I echo your thoughts, Pinki. Those were the days my friend! Sometimes I wish that the internet just disappears. There used to be a human touch which is no longer there now. People are happy sitting alone with their phone, doomscrolling to doomsday! I miss those times.
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Absolutely true! We claim to be connected more but we know deep down how distant we are.
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This brought back a lot of memories. The little details about the 90s felt very familiar, and it was nice to pause and think about those simpler times again.
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Thank you! I am glad the post was able to make you nostalgic!
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Slambooks, memorising friends’ phone numbers, eating noodles to fighting for remote we have all grown up and those days hold a charm filled with innocence.
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Oh yes! Those days were the best. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
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90s were the best weren’t they? Your nostalgic journey through that era brought back so many memories man. It felt like a warm walk down time’s memory lane. Sigh!
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I am glad I could freeze that era in the post that made you nostalgic too.
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this post took me back to the golden days. Those were the days and kids these days don’t get to experience
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I totally relate! Reading this brought back so many memories from the 90s, the music, the fashion, the vibes. Pure nostalgia!
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A lovely walk down memory lane! In some ways i feel those times were a better life quality than the ease of today.
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Indeed, those were the golden days, when we got bored, studied despite long power cuts, and enjoyed simple shows on television. Unfortunately, children today can have none of those. I would gladly give away my cellphones if those days were brought back again. So much peace, less stress, and lots of family time! Your post is making me nostalgic, Pinki.
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Such a nostalgic post, Pinki. Reading it really took me back to the simple joys of childhood… from festival shopping to playing by moonlight during power cuts. Life was slower then, but it had its own kind of magic.
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Your post took my back to my childhood and teens! Junglebook btw was a hot favourite and my sister and I sat with baited breath to watch it!
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The absolute golden era! Our kids will never know how much fun they are missing out and how lovely our childhood was!
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