A
rewarding responsibility came my way to spend two days with the man I used to
dream to meet ever since I was a teenager.
Bhaskar Group of Industries organized a concert of Jagjit Singh and I
was given a responsibility to take care of the event. I was told that he had
arrived in the morning and after 3 pm I could meet him. I left my sons (10 and
4 years respectively then) in the play area near the lounge
of Ahsoka Hotel in Bhopal and went to meet him as per the schedule.
I made a
call from the reception to his room. I
was quite nervous and excited.”Hello..sir…” I said meekly. “Kaun? Jaya…?” I heard a familiar voice. My heart skipped a
beat” Yes, sir” “Come…aajaaoupar” He
answered. I entered the elevator in a hypnotic state, giving a final glance at
myself. I didn’t even realize when the elevator came to a halt. I sprang out as
soon as the lift door opened.
I didn’t notice that someone was walking towards
me until I heard “Jaya ho na!” ”Yes, Sir.” I squealed “Come come…my room is at the other side.”I
was absolutely captivated to see him right in front of me. My name never
sounded so melodious! There was an extra surge of blood pumping in and out
through my aorta. I touched his feet.
He put his
hands around my shoulders while walking towards the room…I was hopelessly
trying to gather myself which he probably understood. To ease me, he started
talking as if he knew me from a very long time. “I slept like a log after a
heavy brunch. Badi thandhai tumhare Bhopal mey. It’s very beautiful and quiet
city. I like Bhopal” I simply spoke some words in affirmation.
We entered
the room and straight to the balcony. The view from the balcony was beautiful. “Overlooking
from this place, Bhopal looks like a hill station. Isn’t it?” He wanted to
engage me in some conversation. “This lake is like a sea. Look at the waves!
Doosra kinara to dikhai nahi deta. But it’s very breezy here. Let’s sit inside.
Thikhainna?” “Yes, Sir.”
We came
inside. “He sat on the bed folding his legs and I sat right in front of him. It
seemed too far from the reality.
He asked
me about my background and my family. I started to feel comfortable by then.
“Tum
gazallikhti ho?” I was astounded as I didn’t expect this question from
him.“Vikas was telling me.” (VikasRakheja is a very good friend of mine and he
is related to the Agarwals of DainikBhaskar.)
“Haanbus aise hi
thodabahotjodilmeyaatahaiwolikhletihoon…but…” I was literally spluttering.
“Array bhai, dilmeyaatahaitabhi to likhajatahai.Tum Bengali ho?”
“Yes,….actually sir… not exactly..in fact my husband, Abhas is Bengali I am a
Maharhashtrian, born and brought up in Madhya Pradesh.
”Haanmaisamajhgayatha…
kuchhchakkarhaizaroor…” He gave a
mischievous smile.
“Sunaozarakyalikhahai..”
It seemed as if I had a cardiac arrest…”Sunaaosunaaosharmaao mat” He leaned his
back on the bed head. “Sir ekgilaspaanipeelun…I am nervous….aapkesaamen sir….”
“hanhaneknahi do glass piyo” He said jokingly.
It took
some time to recollect something that I had written.
“Sunao…sunao…Irshad..”
I know not
from where I mustered courage to read out my amateur couplets in front of a
maestro of Gazal:
Faasle kuchh apne beech, rahne dijiye
Faasle kuchh apne beech, rahne dijiye
Aur
milne ki khwahisheyn, rahne dijiye
Bekar
hota hai yun bhi tharha
hua pani
Bahta
hai gar aankho se to bahne dijiye
“Arey bade
achchhe khayalat hian… matla (first two lines) phir se padho…” While I was
reading again, he interrupted me saying “aur milne ki jagah phir se
milne ki karke dekho…” I read read it again . “Phir se milnekekhwahisheynrahnedijiye…”
”Achchhaekkaamkaro Dr. Bashir Badra lives in Bhopal only. Jaanti ho unko?”
“Yes, sir.
I have read his books and saw him in TV” “Very good..Meet him and request him
to do iselah (editing) for your gazals. Tell him that I have sent you. Then
bhejomujehmujhe.”
I was
euphoric. It was too much to believe that all that was not a dream... it was
happening!!!
We kept
talking on different subjects. He mentioned about his yet to be launched album
Marasim with Gulzarjji. He shared many anecdotes of his life. I was so
engrossed in the conversation that I forgot about the kids. Then I mentioned to
him the boys are playing downstairs…I would go for a minute and come back.”
He said,
“Areykaisi ma ho tum, itni der se bachchonkoneechechhodrakhahai. Bring them
here. Milaaozarabachchonseyapne”
Instructing
them many don’ts and a few dos, I brought them to the room. Both of them
touched his feet.
“Achchha!Yaarchhotu
tum idhar to aaozara.” And this was their conversation:
Jagjitjee: Tumharanaambataao.
Siddhansh:
Mintoo….(then he looked at me) wogharkahai. meraaslinaamhaiSiddhanshSarkar,
K.G. 1 A, Campion School,Bhopal . Aapkanaam?
Jagjitjee:
Jagjit Singh. Achchha to ye joMintoohaiwonaklinaamhai. (He seemed to be getting
into a frivolous mood.) Mujhejaante ho?
Siddhansh:
haan. Mummy ki CD meyaapki Photo dekhihai.
Jagjitjee:
Ganasunahaihamara?
Siddhansh:
Nahi! Achchhanahilagta.Usmekuchh dance bhinahikarsakte.
I felt
embarrassed and angry but could not interrupt. I could see Saraansh trying to
widen his eyes to send a message of instruction to the little brother.
Jagjitjee:
Phirkiskaganaachchhalagtahai?
Siddhansh:
Michal Jackson ka..
Jagjitjee:
Achchasunaotumhare Michal Jackson kagaana. Aurzara dance bhikarkedikhao….
Siddhansh:
puranahiaatabhaikopuraaatahai… After little hesitation both the brothers sang a
stanza and Siddhansh danced in his electrifying break dance’s funny moves.
As soon as
he finished Jagjitjee pulled him towards him and hugged him tightly. This was
enough liberty for Siddhansh.
Suddenly
turns to him and said, “Uncle aapki body hai? Matlab strong wali muscles hai…”
This
brought a big grin on Jagjitjee’s face. (Saraansh looked at me, both of us
utterly embarrassed again)
He said,
“idhardekho ye hai. Jagjitji lifted his arms and showed it to him.
hoonnamaibhitumhara He-man”
To avoid
further embarrassment I asked Saraansh to take him down to the lobby and said
“You go down. Mai thodi der meyaatihoon.”
Sid turned
and asked me, “Mummathodi der meykitte minute hotehain?”
“Now
answer him, mummyji” Jagjitji knew I was stuck.
He told
me, “Jaya you have lovely boys. Look after them. We shall meet tomorrow again.”
Next day
was his scintillating performance. There was a great level of confidence and
comfort while sharing the stage with him after spending few hours with him.
He met
Abhas like two old buddies meeting after a long time and asked us to join him
for dinner with his accompanying artists AbhinavUpadhyay Deepak Pandit and
others.
It was
around 2 in the morning. He was fresh and rejuvenated and so were we. “Arey mood to abjamahaigaaneka. Jaya, tumhari
koi favourite gazalbatao” He said. My instant reply was “All of them…”
Arreyabhikaunsisunau..“Sadma
to haimujhebhikitujhsejudahunmai…” I used to love this gazal during my college
days.
When I
went to see him off to the station the next day, he said,
“chalohumaresaathtumharemaikejaarahehain.” (He had a concert in Raipur the next
day.)
This was
my first and the last meeting with him.
I met Dr.
Bashir Badra couple of times and was enriched by his guidance. But we had to
relocate from Bhopal.I neither pursued it seriously nor had the courage to send
him my poetry…
Mere
geetunkehothon se chhukaramar ho jaaye ye meri kismet
meynahithamagar…unkesaathkuchh pal guzareywomeridharoharhain…
Sadma to
haikiwojudahainhumselekin… jodilmey baste hainunsedurikaehsaasnahihota…
He is in
our heart and his music is in our souls…long live Jagjeet Singh….
Comments
Post a Comment