There's something incredible happening to me, for past few months. Having had watched Jayathi-Kumaresh perform in the Bangalore Literature festival, I was wishing that they could perform sometime soon, in Hyderabad. Though not Jayanthi, Ganesh-Kumaresh duo along with Ustad Shujat Khan rocked Ravindra Bharathi in last December. No matter whose concert I go to, if there's a Tabla, I yearn for Zakir Hussain. No sooner did I start yearning for him, he performed with Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer. Against all hopes, I was hoping, if there could be one more chance of watching Sachin Tendulkar playing in the whites, and here he was, against Australia! (He may have sucked for those who measure him in runs, but for me, he's always rocks.) And couple of weeks back, when I came to know that Pt. HariPrasad Chaurasia will be performing in the city, I had no doubts that my luck is on all time high.
I missed the live concert of Pt.Chaurasia in my city, couple of years ago. I was all tempted to go to Bangalore, where he performed twice in a very short span in recent times, but I couldn't. This time, I was making sure that come what may, I would attend his concert. And yes, all that I was dreaming about was to see him perform live.
Pt. Bhimsen Joshi National Festival of Music and Dance was a 3 day event, where Pt.Chaurasia's concert was the culminating event. On the 2nd day of the festival, there was an announcement that a special documentary on Pt.Chaurasia would be screened in Prasads and interested candidates can collect invitation passes from the organizers, which I did.
Yesterday, I was there in Prasads by 9:45am. As we were asked to wait outside the screen, I was sipping an iced tea and busy reading the posters, when he walked in. Recognizing him, I managed to mutter "Namaste!". I heard him saying back "Namaskaar(am)". K.Vishwanath followed a few minutes later. When the doors were opened, I walked him and choose a random seat. He was there, next to me! Talking and joking around, as if all of us knew each other from a long time. I was a bunch of nerves to have him next to me. The documentary started and ended, but I still had to pinch myself that I was so close to him.
The organizers were upset that Hyderabad crowd doesn't turn up for such events. I wasn't in complaining mood as I was having it all for myself. K.Vishwanath gently reminded that there needn't be worries about thin audience by quoting, 'gangi govu paalu". I wonder, if that's the case.
The screening of the documentary was followed by road-naming ceremony at Ramkote Chaurasta. There was no way I could miss that. The roads are old, but they have new names now. One is called Ustad Bismillah Khan's road and the Pt. Bhimsen Joshi road. By the time I next go there, I wonder if the boards would still be there and if the aam-aadmi would care to call those roads by these new names. For me, it would always stands out in memory for following reasons: 1) Pt. Chaurasia clapping his hands like a kid demanding something, and asking the press snap Vishwanath and him together. 2) Unable to stand for long, K.Vishwanath happily settled under a tree. Behind him, was a sugar-cane juice seller running his business as usual! 3) Pt.Chaurasia led all others to cross the road. He waved his hand gesturing the approaching bus to slow down. The RTC drivers didn't care.
In another city, there could have been a complete traffic jam. Hyderabad is the way it is!
Then, in the evening, there was his concert. I can happily exchange all the above, for an extra 15min performance of his. His bansuri is such a bliss. He is such a blessed soul. He played for about an hour, it was already late into the night by then. He wasn't like a master demonstrating his prowess. He was more like a friend, he needs to be pleaded to get going, who then asks "kya sunoge aap log?", followed by "mein bajaaoongaa, aap raag ka naam boliye!", when in his groove, "aaj itna accha tabla aur tanpura ka saat mila hai, jee chahtaa hai raat bhar bhajaataa hi rahoon!", and ended by saying, "ab toh jaana hai.. nahi toh kahenge, khane ka dukaan band ho jaayenge!"- hinting it's already too late.
Because of the old age, he sat in a chair in the concert. His walk is definitely like a child's walk. His hands were constantly shaking all through the day, but still managed to handle the flute well. For a moment, I was reminded of Mullapudi gaaru. Why is that age has to catch up with everybody? Why can't be few be an exception? I don't know. But I knew, I am blessed. (There was Shobana too, performing yesterday. She is such a darling, anyway! )
A friend of mine keeps commenting that my reading or writing or this newly built interest in Indian classical music or any such activity (note: but not my job!), are my escape routes, that I'm running away from something, instead of confronting it. So be it! It's just common sense to leave those streets where people see you, recognize you to just turn their back and move on to the streets where you're a nobody, but where you're given, if not credit, at least a benefit of doubt.
I missed the live concert of Pt.Chaurasia in my city, couple of years ago. I was all tempted to go to Bangalore, where he performed twice in a very short span in recent times, but I couldn't. This time, I was making sure that come what may, I would attend his concert. And yes, all that I was dreaming about was to see him perform live.
Pt. Bhimsen Joshi National Festival of Music and Dance was a 3 day event, where Pt.Chaurasia's concert was the culminating event. On the 2nd day of the festival, there was an announcement that a special documentary on Pt.Chaurasia would be screened in Prasads and interested candidates can collect invitation passes from the organizers, which I did.
Yesterday, I was there in Prasads by 9:45am. As we were asked to wait outside the screen, I was sipping an iced tea and busy reading the posters, when he walked in. Recognizing him, I managed to mutter "Namaste!". I heard him saying back "Namaskaar(am)". K.Vishwanath followed a few minutes later. When the doors were opened, I walked him and choose a random seat. He was there, next to me! Talking and joking around, as if all of us knew each other from a long time. I was a bunch of nerves to have him next to me. The documentary started and ended, but I still had to pinch myself that I was so close to him.
The organizers were upset that Hyderabad crowd doesn't turn up for such events. I wasn't in complaining mood as I was having it all for myself. K.Vishwanath gently reminded that there needn't be worries about thin audience by quoting, 'gangi govu paalu". I wonder, if that's the case.
The screening of the documentary was followed by road-naming ceremony at Ramkote Chaurasta. There was no way I could miss that. The roads are old, but they have new names now. One is called Ustad Bismillah Khan's road and the Pt. Bhimsen Joshi road. By the time I next go there, I wonder if the boards would still be there and if the aam-aadmi would care to call those roads by these new names. For me, it would always stands out in memory for following reasons: 1) Pt. Chaurasia clapping his hands like a kid demanding something, and asking the press snap Vishwanath and him together. 2) Unable to stand for long, K.Vishwanath happily settled under a tree. Behind him, was a sugar-cane juice seller running his business as usual! 3) Pt.Chaurasia led all others to cross the road. He waved his hand gesturing the approaching bus to slow down. The RTC drivers didn't care.
In another city, there could have been a complete traffic jam. Hyderabad is the way it is!
Then, in the evening, there was his concert. I can happily exchange all the above, for an extra 15min performance of his. His bansuri is such a bliss. He is such a blessed soul. He played for about an hour, it was already late into the night by then. He wasn't like a master demonstrating his prowess. He was more like a friend, he needs to be pleaded to get going, who then asks "kya sunoge aap log?", followed by "mein bajaaoongaa, aap raag ka naam boliye!", when in his groove, "aaj itna accha tabla aur tanpura ka saat mila hai, jee chahtaa hai raat bhar bhajaataa hi rahoon!", and ended by saying, "ab toh jaana hai.. nahi toh kahenge, khane ka dukaan band ho jaayenge!"- hinting it's already too late.
Because of the old age, he sat in a chair in the concert. His walk is definitely like a child's walk. His hands were constantly shaking all through the day, but still managed to handle the flute well. For a moment, I was reminded of Mullapudi gaaru. Why is that age has to catch up with everybody? Why can't be few be an exception? I don't know. But I knew, I am blessed. (There was Shobana too, performing yesterday. She is such a darling, anyway! )
A friend of mine keeps commenting that my reading or writing or this newly built interest in Indian classical music or any such activity (note: but not my job!), are my escape routes, that I'm running away from something, instead of confronting it. So be it! It's just common sense to leave those streets where people see you, recognize you to just turn their back and move on to the streets where you're a nobody, but where you're given, if not credit, at least a benefit of doubt.
