Dhoom machale

My romance with words has gained some admirable recognition in the recent few days but little does everyone know about my fears with music, tunes have always haunted me as if aliens alluring me from the forbidden zone, that’s why I was sceptical when called to participate in the musical game called ‘Antakshari’. It was actually a default entry because my wife could not find a suitable candidate for her team and ordered me, I had to comply ( everyone else would have done the same … men have limited choices).

Fearing the thought that my incapabilities will surface tonight I stepped in the vibrance of the hall, a chilling wave of music rustled through the lapels of my chequered shirt cutting across it and entered directly into my unnerving heart as the singer in the musical arena sang

‘बाबूजी धीरे चलना…

I sat cocooned in the shell of inhibition as the beautifully crafted programme began. The lights from the flickering dots, from the mezzanine floor above, coalesced to illuminate the stage and pious chanting of the ‘Gayatri mantra’ filled the voids of every mundane mind present there.

In keeping with the theme ‘celebration with a purpose’, the programme began with the demonstration of ‘Yoga’. Even my domineering inhibitory cells could not stop me from admiring the beautiful yogic posturing of the participants and the perfectionist flexibility of their bodies as they performed the ‘Surya Namaskar’. Bumfuzzled l sat there, perhaps my inhibitory facilities need to be a more flexible as well I preached myself.

The lighting dots started flickering once again as the crowd jubilated at the tune of ‘zumba’ I danced ( in my dreams of course,…  By the way everyone dances better than the best in their dream). The alluring Divas captivated the crowd.

And finally it began, the ‘Antakshari’, the game I was to participate in. Except for my own inhibitory haunting everything else seemed perfectly in place. The planning was meticulous and so was the execution. The super talented anchors Dr shalabh, Dr Vinita Dr Smita and Dr Sarla lead from the front, imagine they could sing and dance like stars. One of them Dr Akshita had the ability to sing in twelve languages. Oh! Hell, what am I doing here?

” Considering that we aren’t professional singers a mistake of up to two words can be pardoned…”, The able anchor explained the rules. The program went ahead through its beautifully designed format with props, dances and actions all playing their part.

The dreaded moment was destined to come and it came, it came when all my faculties, singing and non singing were summoned but all I could articulate was just the two words, grossly out of tune of course, but nobody  noticed it because of the unfathomable power and appetite of wife for songs that acted like a well engineered mask and we sailed through. and yes the two-word mistake was pardonable, the considerate leniency of the judges has ruled.

 The best teams won but with almost a non-playing participant in the team, even a third position was no less an achievement.

The beauty of life lies not in the physicality of its existence but in the fragrance of its experiences and I definitely am going to savour this for long long time to come.

लम्हों के सिरों को जोड़ कर एक चादर बनाईं है मैने

जब जी चाहा बक्से से निकाल कर ओढ़ लेता हूं।

इसके सिवा ये जिंदगी तेरा हासिल भी क्या है।।