TRRRRING!!! My mobile rang on a friday noon ( Actually I have the default Nokia tone so it wasnt trrring exactly). It was turning out to be another boring day of the most boring vacations in my engineering life so far. I was banking on the evening's football session to provide some relief. Back to the phone, it was US, my brother( I have deleted the 'in law' part)
Me: Hi!!
US: Hey Handsome!
Me: Temme.
US: I ve got passes to raghu dixit's concert today eve at JP Nagar.
Me: I'll be there.
US: Cool!
Me: Cool! C u there.
I had mixed emotions. No football, but I was going to Raghu's concert. Wasn't expecting any action at Raghu's concert compared to football. (I atleast run around while playing football if not play!) So I made it to the concert. US had VVIP passes so me and me friends Shaggy, Kat, Shaw and my bro Aditya made it inside. We sat in the penultimate row of chairs like obedient last benchers. One of the leading music directors in the kannada industry, Mr. Gurukiran was giving the mic, the sound system and us a real hard time. We were there for Raghu Dixit only. This was obviously testing our tolerance levels. There were times when we felt Raghu won't make it and I would get my butt kicked for calling my friends.
We were hungry and we had to eat. But with a crowd like that there was confusion whether we could leave the premises and come back. So, to clarify, me and Kat went towards the gate... We passed the stage, and at the backstage I saw a couple of people in dhothis. One of them holding the base guitar (Gaurav Vaz, I came to know his name after I came back home). There was a chance of us meeting Raghu. I looked at Kat. Kat surprisingly took out a small notebook. I was as amazed as a little child watching a majic show for the first time. He asked for a pen. I ran back to US and took a pen. I came back. And there he was, Raghu Dixit, washing his face. There was
nobody around to stop us. Me and Kat planned an ambush. We went around backstage walking among debris at the place and finally I was face to face with the man himself...
My pulse was racing. I was actually rehearsing in the noon the whole situation in front of the mirror. Now that i was in front of him I was short of words. I started.
"Sir, I am a huge fan!!" like everyone else does.
He acknowledged it with a smile. A man cannot do anything more in such situations especially when he is washing his face.
Kat: "Autograph please"
Raghu:"Thadkolappa, mukha tholkotheeni" ( He has a great sense of humour)
Me: "I am a guitarist and I never thought I would be singing a kannada song in my life till I heard munjaane manjalli. Now, I m famous for singing that among my friends. It is a beautiful song".
Again no response. He finished washing his face
Me: "Sir which scale do u play that in?"
Raghu: "I think A. I actually used a capo for that song"
Me: "Beautiful song sir, amazing"
He went inside the changing room. For a second i thought he wont come back. If it was a dream, he wouldn have. Instead it would be mom, screaming at me, waking me up saying i don keep my room clean.
He did come back, the sound of anklets signalling it. He took the pen and the small notebook that Kat had and started signing.
I gathered courage and told him
"Sir, I will share the stage with you someday. I will make the stage mine and perform with you. I will be there with you". I seriously dunno if any of that makes sense. But I made my point. I ll make some music and will perform
on the big stage someday.
Raghu: "Make sure you do it before I grow old"
Me: "Sure sir"
Then we posed for the photograph.
Raghu (if at all you're reading this), you have no idea what you've inspired. And it was an awesome show. We were right in front of you. Never had the chance to watch you perform from such close distance before.
To the band:(again, if at all you're reading this): I din know any of your names, so it wouldnt have been a gr8 idea to blindly take autographs. I did not mean any disrespect Gaurav, Wilfred, Vijay, Jathin. You guys rocked! Will queue up only for your autographs next time.
Kat: Hadn't it been for you, I wouldn have had the guts to even go backstage! Love you man! And thanx for the photo. you still gotta give that autograph :P
Umashankar (US): You're a real gem who truly appreciates me for what I am. Thank you so much for the passes and everything else.
Shaggy, Shaw, Adi: Thanx for the awesome company!
