Dish TV dons the Jharkhand villages

Local made DTH-villagers delight

DTH installed on rooftop of the house

By Sanjeev Shekhar
Manoharpur (West Singhbhum)-
While the King Khan of Bollywood, Shaarukh, advertise in his peppy style regarding the dish TV to boost its sale in the market, the concept of the direct to home (DTH) has already reached the far-flung and secluded areas of the state of Jharkhand. Government might have bereft them of drinking water, power and proper civic amenities but the fact of the matter is that the concept of entertainment is well settled in the minds of the reticent villagers, if the number of DTH available on the hutments roof top is any indication.

It may sound ridiculous but entertainment is coming handy to all those who have desired for the same. “One household in a cluster of four is having the ‘disc TV’ (as the villagers call the DTH) and we’re enjoying all the free to air channels,” claims Mukesh Razak of Ghaghra village.

As one drives down the sleepy hamlets on a narrow lane in a criss-cross manner, one can easily locate the small rounded dish either planted on ground or being fixed on the thatched rooftops of the houses. Local companies are doing a brisk business here. “We have Calvin, PHX and Beston dishes here that are available at a very cheap rate ranging between Rs.1800 to Rs.2200. Once the installations are done, we’re watching all free to air channels providing us the series of entertainment,” informs the villagers.

Companies selling their dish in these villages of Ghagra and Barposh have articulately done their marketing on the pretext of their being a national, and for some it being ‘videshi’ (multinational) product. There is absolute clarity of sound and picture, asserts Shyam.

The villagers take pride of owning the ‘disc TV’ and do not fail to mention that even Tata Sky has found place in the house of one Dashrath Purty of the Dhipa village. “Days are not far when few more people will have more Tata Sky (DTH) in their homes, as we all love variety of entertainment,” Amitraj claims.

What the villagers resent is the non-availability of power in the village that hardly gives them time to enjoy any programme to the full. They complained that out of 24 hours, the power is available hardly two to three hours that proves a major hurdle on their way to entertainment.

Sanjeev Shekhar,

Journalist/Media Consultant/PR