Originally written/mailed out on 13th Jan., 2012
This morning, as I stepped out of the elevator to get to my car, I bumped into my neighbour - wished her a bright and sunny Good Morning and for good measure also threw in a Happy New Year. My bright smile was repaid with a gloomy half frown and a morose "There's a huge traffic jam right outside our gates. Be prepared for the worst" mumble as she elevated herself up to her floor.
Getting into my car I found that her half frown had been contagious. Switching on the ignition AND the radio a few seconds later I heard that India were playing at 58 for the loss of 2 wickets, Sehwag having got out (expected) and Dravid too having joined him (expected but not hoped for). The half frown grew bigger by half again - in need of some mood lifting music, I switched over to FM Gold, hoping to catch some hard rock. I'd have been delighted to get some Joe Satriani or a Jim Morrison.
Eager to listen to hard rock what I got instead was pure magic. The station that, at this time of the day, every day, plays western music was spouting a chorus of swaramalas, disembodied voices singing in perfect cadences, the sapthaswaras resonating melodiously, changing the mood of the day instantaneously. I was mesmerised even though I did not know which was the kirtana being played.
That traffic jam outside my gate was there, as big and as bad as promised - it might as well not have existed. I was at peace. Everything seemed to be just right in the world. Some time later, THAT song ended and the piece - de - resistance followed, "Entharo Mahanu Bhavulu". One of my all time favourite songs. Especially when sung by Balamurali Krishna. Today, it was sung by a hundred anonymous voices, perfectly in harmony, and I was, as ever, spell bound. Pure Magic, yet again.
I don't exactly remember at what stage I reached office and parked my car - I sat, till the song got over. And then, continued to sit in silence for a while, savouring the feeling, in solitude.
Serendipity - a word that means "an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident". Example: Christopher Columbus (the explorer, not the Hollywood director) set out in search of India and stumbled upon America. I set out in search of Jim Morrison and his tribe, ended up having Thyagaraja Aradhana from Thiruvaiyaru, with the promise of more to come tonight, live, from the Thyagaraja Festival, tonight at 10........
Superb. Even the fact that India was at 70 for 4 did not change the mood :)
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