Very Happening Weekend

First I must thank all the good wishes that are coming in. Through email. And the comments here.

And I went for a show with Rahman Anna. The call came out of the blue. This was a charity show in Karaikkal. For the children affected in the Tsunami. NDTV was also involved.

Mom left on her work and this was basically the first time I went on a show out of town without mom.

Rehearsals happened on Sunday. And I met Sivamani sir for the first time. And before the rehearsals began full swing he played on the drums. It was a super treat. Its like the rhythm just flows on and on and on. Such innovation, such brains and such creativity. My God!

So first I was to sing Sakkarai and Kannathil Muthamittaal. And then songs got added much to my glee. I finally got to sing Thottal Poo Malarum, Vennilave, Telephone Manipol, and a prayer with Rahman anna, Hariharan Sir, Karthik and Madhudhree. We sang a bit of Shakthi Kodu. :)

Rahman anna said this was the first of his shows in this year.

We travelled from here to Pondichery on sunday evening, stayed there overnight and left from there to Karaikal. Another 3 hour journey which I will relish. I travelled along with G V Prakash, Rahman anna's nephew, (to enlighten, the kid voice of chiku buku chiku buku) now he is composing too. I sang a jingle for him a year ago. I guess brilliance is also in the genes. :) And Naresh Iyer. He is a find from the [V] Super Singer contest. And from what I hear, he is a singer to look out for. I met him on this show. And George. He has sung in Boys and Enakku 20 Unakku 18. He is great fun.

This was also the first time I came to know closely how to it is to rise up to an occasion. Songs that I have heard some hundred times but didnt have the lyrics to. Vennilave. First we were supposed to sing Tamil and then Hindi and then finally landed up singing the Tamil version on stage. I made frantic calls to Aditi to get me the lyrics and the poor thing sat here and kept giving me the lyirics on the phone. I had written it on a piece of paper. Then I lost it. Then I called her up again. And then this was the first show for which I didn't doll up. I totally didn't have the time. I went on stage with work slippers. Which I noticed mich later. If any hi funda magazine had covered this, I would have been on the pages of "how not to present yourself for a show" And then to top it, I lost my mom's phone, and my ear ring. Which Hari sir noticed and asked me where my ear ring was. I became a totally worked up and started sobbing. Then Hari sir was like ok loosen up and in less than a minute of my boo hoo, I had to go sing Thottaal with Hari sir. And he was like "cheer up baby". Collect yourself. You have to grow up he said. Mom cant be there to do all the stuff for you all the time. My God. Baby I am. But I learnt. Idiots like me have to learn the hard way I guess. And I have also been selfish. Its because of my incompetence and disorganisation that mom has not been able to attend to her work.

Rahman Anna opened the show with his song from Desam. The Tamil version of "Yeh Des Hai Tera". And he also sang Anbe Aaruyire from "A Aaah", S J Surya's movie. Sooper it is. Another rocking album it is going to be releasing tomorrow.

When the show was over, Sivamani sir said, because you lost something here, take it that Sani bhagwan has taken all the bad stuff away from your life. All your bad karma is gone with this. And may you come to the stage that you can buy 2400 phones. I felt very, very touched when he said that. I guess Rahman anna also came to know that and he asked me to cheer up.

I was not able to take any pictures. Except that I took a very short video before the concert and have a short clip of Rahman Anna singing.

From this show I learnt that I have a very long way to go and that I have to grow as a musician. Rise up to occasions and be good also.And I have to connect to God more. I want music to flow through me. I have so much to learn. And that knowledge happens a lot from the Sangat that you keep. This is Sahavaasa Punyam. Our generation does not have that advantage mom used to say. They learnt a lot from listening to elders speak, converse, learn from their intellectual gatherings and discussion. And whatever little I get when I go on a recording and a show like this, I lap it up. Expanding your horizons, really thinking out of the box... people keep saying about this but when it comes to doing it, thats when you realise, that you are generally wasting a lot of time. Keep growing, keep learning, keep evolving, continuously recognise and rectify one's flaws. And also that you learn from people both young and old. All this I learnt from this show and the recording that I did for Mangal Pandey.

The return drive was with Rehana aunty, Prakash and Naresh. Had dinner on the way. I also took a lot of pointers from Rehana aunty. Then I think I was just dozing and waking. And reached home at around 3 in the morning.

A very wonderful experience in all.

For now the mood and the song looping in my Player - 'Al maddath Maula'

"Tera Deewana hun Maula tera Parwana hun Maula sun
Ae Mere Maula Ae Mere Dhaata
Mujhko tu Manzil Bataade Muhjko tu Rasta Dikhade sun
Ae Mere Maula Ae Mere Dhaata....... "