Move Over Donald Duck, Show Some Love For Chacha Chaudhary

Forget Peanut Butter Cookie Day and other ‘firang’ celebratory ‘days’ – we’re rolling out Gol Gappa Day right here!

Chacha Chaudhary

It’s Donald Duck Day in the US today and social media is doing what it does best – raving about yet another addition to an already overpopulated pop culture calendar.

As if we didn’t have enough. There’s Chocolate Ice Cream Day and Best Friends Day, Iced Tea Day and, believe it or not, even a Peanut Butter Cookie Day.

But what of our desi indulgences? Sure, we watched Donald Duck as much as any blue-blooded American kid, if not more, but how could we not remember Chacha Chaudhary and his beloved companion Sabu? Or our dog-eared copies of Nagraj, Vikram and Betaal?

So thank you firang sirs and madams, but we’d take Maa ka Khana over Burger King any day.

Here are some indigenous creations which we believe could rival creations by the foreign world any day. So let’s have some fun turning them into our very own desi ‘days’!

Chacha Chaudhary Day

If you are a comic book buff who grew up in the ‘90s, chances are your childhood companion was either the snake-shooting Nagraj or the ever-astute Chacha Chaudhary. And let’s not forget the looming giant Sabu, who burst on to Indian imaginations long before Hagrid did!

Chuski Day

Surely you remember your childhood and the joy of eating this ‘barf ka gola’? Or perhaps you called it ‘chuski’? Irrespective of its name, this bright, tangy delicacy still rules summer vacations in the country and is a hot pick over Peanut Butter Cookie Day, any day!

Doordarshan Day

How can we collate any list of the good ol’ 90s and not have the familiar DD montage tune ringing in our ears? Many a warm afternoon was spent watching Doordarshan with our families.

PS - We love you, DD.

Shaktimaan Day

While the west gobbles up names like Batman, Superman – Ant-Man even – we can’t help but recall fondly our dear own superhero Shaktimaan. Long before Hrithik Roshan’s suave Krrish glided on to our screens, children in India were mouthing “Kanoon ka dost, mujrimo ka dushman” (the Shaktimaan tagline) with glee.

Gol Gappa Day

They’re big, crispy balls of dough, stuffed with aloo and soaked in chutney. Need we say more? We would totally root for Gol Gappa Day!

Camlin Geometry Box Day

Were you a ‘90s kid poring over never-ending homework with your trusty Camlin geometry box by your side? If yes, then you know exactly why we’re calling for such a day!

Stapu Day

It’s been said a thousand times over – technology ruined the 2000s. Perhaps we were the last lucky lot, but we can still remember the games of hopscotch (stapu), marbles and gilli danda that defined warm summer evenings.

This before we drowned ourselves in XBoxes and Play Stations. Let’s bring back our childhoods with Stapu/ Gilli Danda Day.