The 'Sanam' experience

As fun and enjoyable as it could be.

What I love about Sanam, is that he's one guy who's giving us a wonderful live experience of much loved songs from the yesteryears. He makes true the quote on originality "it's not about where you take from ....it's about where you take it to".

While it's all classics from bollywood, I think I'll remove the word soulful and add in high energy. While the songs are yet the beautiful, deep, romantic and even soulful numbers, the concert set up adds in a lot of it's own feel. The full on concert energy through so many other mediums....the fancy lighting systems, the boom box sound, the super interactive audience, the cuteness of the band, the natural sway and jive to the music...... making it into an overall high energy experience.

Also as one of the sponsors was radio mirchi, the show was introduced by Shadab and Komal, popular radio jockeys, and the audience went gaga even over them...they are after all household names today. I was myself happy to put a face to Shadab :)

The band itself is super cute, Sanam, Venky, Samar and Keshav, a full on chocolate boys boy band, whatever that means...guessing it's because they just look so good together.

I read that they are India's only independent band to cross 6 million you tube subscribers, and I can so see why.

Some of the songs that come to mind from yesterday:

aap ki nazron ne samjha, pyaar ke kaabhil mujhe

tere bina zindagi se koi

hai apna dil to aawara

yeh raat bheeghi bheeghi

mere mehaboob qayaamat hogi

roop tera mastaana

pal pal dil ke paas

yet raate,yeh mausam, nadi ka kinaara

and a few new ones too

ek ladki ko dekha tho aisa lagaa

fakira

ishq bulaava

and a couple of his originals, which were good, but then I didn't know them. The old ones are brilliant because they've pretty much grown on us over the years.

And when they come alive, as they did yesterday.....it's pure magic.

And I must add a couple of cute anecdotes from the pre stage:

Soon as I saw they were coming to Hyd, I knew I wanted to go. I messaged Kiran asking if he wanted to go along. I get back a "Sure, I'll come". Date, time, zone..all that done, I book off tickets... and then I get another message from him  saying "now tell...who's Sanam?"  :)

Another was with Diksha. To her 'what's up' yesterday morning, I tell her "I'm super excited, I'm going for the Sanam concert today....and guess what, I'm taking your advice from last times concert, pre gaming this time". And she's like "good  good...proud of you ma". From adult to adult equation, there are times it seems to actually flip over :)

Rest in pictures:

As we entered, yet from the car.... such a beautiful sky

A swanky auditorium.....Hyderabad's latest I would think. Indoor, massive and great acoustics.

Just before start

Spotlight redefined. On the drummer for his solo piece

The lovely audience, so into it

An audience that's expressive and you see the singers come even more alive...it was beautiful

As we left, one with the poster

and a selfie

 A clip of a video just for feel:

An evening well spent, even if on the feet for four hours at a stretch. And thanks Kiran, for that trust.... for saying a yes without even knowing who Sanam was, it sure brought out a nice smile too :)

And Sanam, you come to Hyderabad again, and I'm coming again !!

When anticipation ups the pulse

I've always been a staunch believer in 'anticipation'

Why is that even a statement huh..... isn't it obvious?

Not really. As it becomes an anti thesis of 'Expectation' (as expectations can disappoint) and of 'Surprise' (as it takes away from the wonderful element of surprise).

Guess that's why it's a choice.

And mine is hands down 'anticipation'.  Sure there's a trade off for potential disappointment and nice surprise. A fair enough trade off imho :)

Context for the thought process is a concert I'm going to today. 

Sanam

I simply love their music. They do renditions of old hindi songs, almost more soulful and minimalistic. There's like a lovely, honest, simple joy to their songs....so beautiful.

A couple of their songs for feel...as I listened.....in anticipation :)

When I discovered these songs, I must have heard like a hundred times 

Watch....and Listen  :)

Stories that stay.....

Yet another anecdote from my stay at dad's.

We were at lunch, and the topic of one's ability to think for oneself came up.....what it takes to not conform, to not abide, to take a stand..... and it was my turn to tell him a story.

This is one story that has influenced me deeply.....and I was happy to be able to revisit. It's a story from Lao Tzu. 

Lao Tzu is a well known Chinese Philosopher, said to be from the times of Confucius. He is author of the 'Tao Te Ching', and this is a story from his life:

" The emperor of China asked Lao Tzu to become his chief of the supreme court, because the country had become very corrupt, and nobody could guide the country’s laws better than he could. 

Lao Tzu  said, “I am not the right man,” but the emperor was insistent.

Lao Tzu again said, “If you don’t listen to me… just one day in the court and you will be convinced that I am not the right man, because the system is wrong, I won't fit. Either I can exist or your law and order and your society can exist. But ok… let us try it.”

The first day a thief who had stolen almost a large amount from one of the richest man was brought into the court. Lao Tzu listened to the case and then he said that the thief would get six months in jail and the rich man should also get six months in jail. 

Everyone was naturally shocked.

The rich man said, “What are you saying? There is something wrong. I have been stolen from, I have been robbed — what kind of justice is this, that you are sending me to jail ?”

Lao Tzu said, “I am infact being unfair to the thief. Your need to be in jail is greater, because you have collected so much money for yourself, deprived so many people of money… thousands of people are downtrodden and you are collecting more money. For what? Your very greed is creating these thieves. You are responsible.

The first crime is yours.”

How radically different are we capable of, be it thinking, being, doing..... in whatever sphere of life.

Dad - another balcony conversation

Over yet another evening cup of tea during my stay there.

Dad's talking to the dog on the opposite terrace, and then comments on 'how all the TV dish antennae there are cluttered together'. I was quite happy just adding in a casual "hmmm....true", and then he springs the question at me:

"ani antennae okate side enduku face chesthandhi chepu "

"Why are all the antennae facing the same direction?" 

I mumbled something about the telecommunication satellite being in that direction.

I could have stopped there...but my mind continued to ask it's own questions. And the teaser was "don't satellites move?". Thus I stumbled on my own response.

He said "okay I'll give you a clue....they are about 36,000 kms from Earth"

I was like "Aah, Geo Stationary Satellites" and I thought I'd answered well enough.

Next question "so what is a Geo Stationary satellite?"

It's funny how you think you know what it is until you are asked to tell. And that's when you realize you are only peripherally aware, but don't know it in full. (wonder how many spaces in life we act based on the presumption that we know)

Back to satellites....the satellites are put into an orbit at 36,000 kms from equator, where their rotation speed is synchronized with that of the earth. As they are moving at the same speed as earth's rotation, at any point from earth they will be seen from the same coordinates.

And that's why all the telecommunication dishes face the same direction.

If that wasn't gyan enough for one evening, dad went onto asking "do you know how GPS works?"

An omg moment. I could only go on gushing about how brilliant it was and how I couldn't have survived Bangalore without it, nor cognizant now....and how much I love it....but he was neither distracted nor fazed from his question.

"how does it work?"

I drew a blank. :(

He explained.....starting from the principle of triangulation 'how in field work they would find mining locations in jungles (he was a geologist) using the principle of triangulation to pin coordinates, and that's the same principle GPS uses...... three satellites at any point'

it was going over my head......so he tried again "ok, there's you, and there's me and there's this plant....the three points used to pin location are three satellites.....and this is your car....and it needs to get here...." 

Felt good to know. And what never ceases to amaze is dad's curiosity about the world, his sense of wonder.....it enables living in a whole different dimension almost. I simply love it.

Ask a busy person

From Seth

Ask a busy person

"You might know one.

The busy person has a bias for action, the ability to ship, and a willingness to contribute more than is required. The busy person is wrong more than most people (if you get up to bat more often, you’re going to have more hits and more strike outs, right?). Those errors are dwarfed by the impact they create.

Being a busy person is a choice.

It might not work for you, but you could try it out for a while.

We need more busy people"

And if I may add, this holds true in all facets of life... work, study, relationships, growth, travel.....anywhere and everywhere....it's about not letting those strike outs stop you..... about believing in yourself.

Ganesha...Vinayaka....Vighnahara

The allure of the lovable god.....

Ganesha evokes so much joy and love and playfulness and connect, he's almost irresistible. While Diksha used to say we have so many Buddha figurines at home, I just realized we have quite a few Ganesha ones too......

His presence at home as a festival tribute:

Our daily lamp

This terracotta figurine Diksha brought home from an eighth class school trip to Rajasthan, when she was thirteen I guess and it's been sitting here since.

This one was gifted by a dear friend, Dhruva Shankar....as quirky as he is. And it was Google days, the laptop the perfect fit :)

This one we'd bought in Mysore, likely twenty years back

And what's more, he was in my dream last night.....

Happy Vinayaka Chathurthi !!

The B & W Shelf

It's actually a shelf of black and white pictures....one shelf top in the house that's been such for years and years now. 

So many new pictures come into the house, even gifts of framed pictures.....and mom will find other spaces for them..... none can displace any from this series of five pictures....it's like sacrosanct space.

While I've always looked at it in passing, looks like staying four days made me look closer. It has so much depth....so many eras.....so many special moments....so many cherished memories.....and one a personally precious one too. So decided to capture this story here.

Right to Left: 

This must be over a hundred years old. Standing right is my grandfather, who I never met. Isn't he really handsome looking (gosh, only now realized where mom and kamlesh aunty get their stunning good looks from)

Standing left is Katari thatha, grandfather's brother, a man who achieved great heights. He was India's first Chief of Navy.

And more than that, what I used to be super impressed about even back then, was that he used to create Hindu's crossword. Create mind you, not do. He did it for years, and I would be so curious about how he went about it.....to me, at twelve, it seemed like the most intelligent thing a person could do. I was awed. I recall his stately writing desk, full up with pencils, erasers and dictionaries.

What a lovely picture.....Mom and Dad's wedding reception. 

Standing behind are his sisters and brother, Dev uncle, Revathi aunty and Padmini aunty (she was India's first woman pilot) .

And dad's mother, my leelavva, what a woman she was. There are a couple of stories that come to mind.

Soon after she was married, she was taken to Gandhiji for his blessings by her father. And when Gandhiji said he would like her to participate or contribute to the party in some way, she apparently took off all her jewellery, and gave it to him right then and there. A story that's become family legend.

Another, which I really like; She and Mohan uncle were driving from Mysore to Bangalore, when their car tyre had a puncture. Mohan uncle was all flustered and wondering what to do, and apparently avva just tucked in her saree and said "hand me the jack.......". 

No points for guessing. That's me making entry into the black and white shelf. Not to miss dad in tie and mom with flowers and all. Gosh, it does belong to the black and white era.

A lovely family picture......Dev uncle and Vijji aunty's wedding reception (me sitting at her feet :). And like a friend said "there are a lot of stunners in that picture, and your vijji aunty is looking like a heroine". True that !

My own prestigious precious moment. I've no idea why this is a black and white picture, but I'm pretty glad, puts me in a space of significance on this shelf :) 

Sitting center is me and standing center is Rajiv Gandhi :)

This was at a specially invited reception for gold medalists from all the central universities of the country with the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

In fact I remember when I saw the fancily gilded invitation in the post, I first thought it was a prank; it read, Ms. Smitha Mahendra....Shri Rajiv Gandhi would like the honour of meeting you.... duh duh duh....like I could register anything else after that sentence ...

Now you know why that shelf spoke so much....the oldest from hundred years back  .........two India's firsts.........picture with the Prime Minister.... stories and more stories.......definitely precious.