Four…and on to many more!

It has been four years. Has it really been four long years that have whizzed by so? Wasn’t it just recently that the preparations were on in full swing for the big day? Why, it seems like just yesterday that I was this shy, excited, nervous, glowing bride waiting at the threshold of a life full of promises of changes, challenges, dreams and hopes! Has it been so long since the day I spoke to him about my expectations from this sacred bond of trust that we hoped to build? Well, it truly has been f-o-u-r years since life changed forever. Where did all the days and months and years roll by so quickly, I wonder?!

 When I think back I can clearly remember the various moments of the day. It really was our day – the day when all forces, seen and unseen worked to make it happen for us. It was one day when everything that was done, was being done and that would be done, by anyone and everyone, was solely for us and us only! Boy! Is that a heady feeling or what? One does feel on top of the world! Our marriages are really special that way, don’t you think? It truly is an once-in-a-lifetime experience that one cherishes for ever. On the day, amidst the myriad busy events and emotions, one will not truly appreciate the significance of all that takes place, but in retrospect it fills the heart with a warm glow of contentment 🙂

 As I tread back on the path of memories of the four years since, I can’t but help muse about all the changes that have happened around us, amongst us and within us. Some dear ones are no more and the memory of the beautiful moments shared with them remain just that – memories to savour. Our opinions and priorities have changed – some subtly and some radically. We have walked on hand in hand with new aspirations and dreams that we envisage for our future, taking along our families in this wake. Our thoughts and perspectives have acquired new dimensions that we didn’t think was possible – there has been so much to think, plan and hope for – so much joy and tears, pleasure and sadness, love and pain – a melting pot of emotions and experiences it has been and continues to be!

 I glance at the hubby – home after battling the city’s traffic and a hard day at work – creases line his forehead – lines of thought for his dear ones – plans to ease their difficulties and smoothen the path leading to the future – dreams and hopes for himself and his beloved. I wonder – when and how was it that I began to trust and believe in this guy – a mere stranger just four years ago?! And then… there is a funny commercial on the TV and he guffaws – I fall in love all over again! 🙂 Every little aspect of his personality that captivates me – his childlike wonder, innocence and naughtiness, his boyish charm, the endless patience, the ready laughter, the heart that melts at the sight of any 4-legged being, the selflessness when it comes to his family and friends – the thoughts gush through the heart and mind and engulf me in an avalanche of mush! 😀

 I had a vague idea of the kind of person whom I wanted to lead my life with – someone who would share my interests and passions, who would believe and support in the causes that were close to my heart, one who would understand and encourage me in my endeavours – I suppose, each one of us would have harboured thoughts of this kind sometime or the other. I slowly realized that all of this need not be true for a happy marriage – the interests, hobbies and passions needn’t be shared – what matters is mutual respect for one’s likes and dislikes and the large-heartedness to accept that the partner is different and needs a space of their own. The hubby has been all this and more – has been the rock-solid support that I’ve needed when I’ve questioned my own abilities, has been a mentor and a guide who’s corrected me when I’ve stumbled, has encouraged me always to aim for heights that I dreaded to aspire for, but which he thinks I am very well capable of achieving.  Be it music, further studies or writing or the progress at work – he’s always believed and has been encouragement-personified. I hope I have measured up in my own way to keep the scale balanced.

 Well dear, on this occasion, I want to dedicate this song to the both of us… I re-discovered it recently – just in time to realize that it rings so true for us. 

Happy fourth anniversary! And here’s wishing for many many more happy ones to come along… 🙂

As the year 2009 draws to a close…

…the people of Karnataka are not left with much to cheer about. The final few days have only taken away some of the most-loved doyens of the Kannada film and music industry – first C.Ashwath and now Dr.Vishnuvardhan. While it was difficult enough to come to terms with the fact that Ashwath – a truly one of the kind singer whose kanchina kanttha is unmatched, is no more going to be heard; the very next morning brought an even bigger blow – the news that Dr.Vishnuvardhan – one of the most charming and versatile actors of the Kannada film industry had passed away at the mere age of 59.

Whenever Ashwath took centrestage he would literally set it on fire with his exuberant and passionate performance. His voice is to be heard to be believed – loud, melodius and reverberating with energy, it would give anyone listening goosebumps. Though I never had the opportunity to witness any of his performances live, I have dearly loved so many of his songs. His contribution to Kannada sugama sangeetha and film music is immense, but he was also one of the people who had a hand in resurrecting the bhaava geetha genre of Kannada music and made it as popular and favourite as film songs. He popularized so many of the poets’ compositions by bringing out song collections in the voices of promising voices of veterans and new-comers alike, thereby encouraging the infusion of fresh blood into the music world. He has also composed music for dozens of movies and tele-serials – all of T.N.Seetharam’s much-loved serials ranging from Mayamruga to Manvantara to Mukta-Mukta owe some part of their popularity to their excellent title tracks composed and sung by Ashwath. He has composed music for some unforgettable tracks like Raayaru bandaru, Deepavu ninnade, Balegaara chennaya from Mysoora Mallige and also songs like Nammoora mandaara hoove from the movie Aalemane…songs of Santa Shishunaala Sharifa  and TS Nagabharana’s Naagamandala the list just goes on and on. Singers of his kind are rare and his demise has left a huge void in the music world.

Vishnu as he was lovingly called, was one of the most-loved actors the Kannada filmdom has seen. Setting the screen on fire with his power-packed performance as the chiguru-meese Ramachari in Puttanna Kanagal’s Nagarahaavu, he went on to achieve great heights and carved a niche for himself, in spite of always being in the shadows of the larger-than-life actor and icon of his times – Dr.Rajkumar. He has acted in movies like Hombisilu, Gandhada Gudi, Saahasa Simha (which also got him the title Saahasa Simha Vishnuvardhan), paired up with the lovely Suhaasini in the tragic-love-story Bandhana, played the part of a musician with aplomb in MalayaMarutha which had some excellent classical compositions, was the lovable happy-go-lucky-guy in Suprabhaata, romanced Jayaprada in the remake of Baghbaan – Ee Bandhana, was a part of the hugely successful Aapthamitra  and had just recently wrapped up work on its sequel Aaptharakshaka which was going to be his 200th film too. Vishnu with his trademark right-hand kada and left hand antics and immaculate acting has left behind a mark that will be very hard to replace.

The people of Karnataka as usual have been rowdy and disgusting in their behaviour in paying homage to these icons. Pelting stones, breaking glass and shops, rousing mobs, torching public vehicles, forcibly shutting down shutters – everything that would’ve made the dead people turn in their graves. Shame on us – that we cannot in the least give a respectful homage to the departed souls and cannot let their families rest in solitude and peace. I wonder when we will ever get to see such a day, when the so-called fans will realize that they are not helping anybody’s cause by indulging in such henious acts?

I just want to say – you have entertained us all till your last breath and you shall live forever in our memories. May your souls rest in peace!

One evening at a concert

The weekend turned out to be a one-day affair what with Saturday being a working day in lieu of the holiday enjoyed earlier during the Dasara weekend. Whatever remained of the weekend was spent visiting a friend who’s jumping onto the marriage bandwagon and that too in a chat-mangni-pat-byaah kinda way, with the wedding being finalized for next week.

Sunday evening saw us heading to the Palace Grounds to attend the Shivamani and Mandolin Srinivas concert organized as part of the Times Group sponsored Bangalore Festival. One was lucky to get the VIP passes courtesy a team-mate and being in the surroundings one didn’t wanna miss out on the opportunity. The concert was scheduled for a 7 PM start; we made our way inside by 6.15 PM and were surprised to see a serpentine queue. Thankfully the queue for the VIP entry only resembled a baby snake and we were inside within no time. The evening had already seen a bout of rains and the chaat-walas, corn-butta-seller, the bisi-kadale-puri fellow and popcorn stalls were already doing brisk business.

We picked our way inside amidst the already slushy grounds and managed to bag seats in what must’ve been the 10th or the12th row from the stage. The sound checks were being carried out on stage while there was no sign of the artistes themselves. Well, ‘there is still time’ we thought and busied ourselves checking out the people around us. There was a nice-looking quiet couple next to us on the left and a dignified, aptly-dressed-for-the-occasion elderly couple clad in woollens on the far left. On the right side, we were flanked by a pair of elegantly dressed working ladies in their late twenties. The seats in front were occupied by a local celebrity and his kin; while sitting behind us was a bright, happy and loud family of four, who looked like they were on a picnic and were enjoying their evening out.

After sitting for quarter of an hour and with nothing better to do than observe the folks around us, I noticed that people were bringing in yummy eatables aka pop-corn and chaats. Their drool-icious sight coupled with the nip in the air started playing games with my mind and I was hit by hunger-pangs! I nagged the husband to get us some eatables; obliging fellow that he is, he bought us corn-buttas and a cone-full of hot fried kadale-puri. Happily munching the spicy and yummy thingies alternately, we waited for the show to begin.

7.30 PM and still no sign of the artistes – the crowd started getting restless and expressed their displeasure by booing, whistling, clapping and generating as much noise as possible. Guess it did have some effect, ‘coz ten minutes later saw the pori-tapori Rachana from Radio Mirchi on-stage welcoming us all and introducing to a bunch of representatives from the Art of Living foundation (??!!) asking us to participate in a pledge to save the environment and create awareness about global warming. The pledge itself was inane and was read out rather dispassionately, we thought.

Finally after all the foreplay, the famous trio of Shivamani – the talented percussionist, U.Shrinivas – the ace Mandolin player and Steven Devassy – a renowned keyboard artiste took centre-stage by about 7.45 PM. They soon had the crowds enraptured and swaying to the beats. Guess the Gods too liked what they heard and decided to show their appreciation by sending down rains!! What started as a light drizzle soon turned into a full-fledged downpour barely 10 minutes into the programme. Umbrellas and raincoats could be seen bobbing up and down and the crowds persisted in egging the artistes on. But when even after 15 minutes of coming-down-hard the rains didn’t show any signs of letting up, several people – including the aged couple near-by and the boisterous family behind, made their way exit-wards. On-stage too the rain had affected developments – Shivamani’s instruments were getting drenched from the heavy side-ways lashing of the rain and the artistes were getting drenched as well. The evening’s future seemed really bleak when the support staff rushed in to cover the instruments and Srinivas seemed to be wrapping up too by doing a namaskaram to the crowds.

But guess they hadn’t seen the Bangaloreans’ spirit and resilience yet! The local crowds rushed to the front and urged them to continue… Shivamani did a brief impromptu piece on a suitcase (?!) as what he thought would be a good-bye note, but the crowds just didn’t let him rest, chants of “Once more! Once more” filled the air. Shivamani, a sport that he is, soon got under-cover – he ducked under the tarpaulin covering his instruments and started jamming! He soon had the crowd stomping in approval to the tunes of “Humma Humma” and his other hits. His performance was absolutely scorching and the movement of his hands a blur as he belted out his innovative beats one after another. Srinivas and Kevin were left as mere spell-bound spectators. Somewhere along the way, the rains too had abated but nobody seemed to have noticed. Soon enough Shivamani seemed to recover from his reverie and so did the audience. He encouraged the duo to join in with him and we had the stage set for a riveting jugalbandi. Each was a master of his art and the instruments were but slaves dancing to their master’s whims; the audience was enraptured and applauding at every swaram and melody played. Srinivas showed a glimpse of the genius that he is – drawing notes and sangatis which simply didn’t seem possible from his stringed instrument.

The rain-blessed musical extravaganza drew to a close by around 9 PM. The crowds were still milling around and asking for more. They pointed to the array of unusual accompaniments lined on the other side of the stage and pressed Shivamani for an encore on them. Shivamani once again obliged and showed us why he is a percussion-lover’s dream – drawing musical notes from lifeless objects like bottles and water-cans to suitcases and kitchen utensils! Finally he had to literally shoo away the crowds saying – “Just as how too much sweet isn’t healthy, so is the case with this show. We should stop the performance now and keep the rest for our next show in Bangalore!” 🙂

We said ‘amen’ to that and headed out home-wards.