(Recap- In previous episodes I narrated about my seeking admission in a distant located city intermediate college and about the cultural activities of the college. There, for the first time in the life, I experienced and enjoyed the live Orchestra program. The melodious voice of lead male singer was majestic and his status too was worth noticing at the time.
Alteration in mode of functions
It always astonishes to us, how and when time speeds away in a silent mode, and in the mad race of life we forget to notice about this. One day we realize, decades been elapsed and with the passing of time, our old traditions and fashion and style of life too got altered. No doubt, the original format of life, somehow revolves around the same pivotal point. Long ago, in our society marriage functions were arranged simply in open ground. Merely a canopy were stretched over the top and some cloth fencing were arranged to make a privacy.
With the passing of time, it later on shifted to arrangement of function in Dharmashala ( an Indian hostel or rest house built with religious purpose), then wedding points came into existence. Gradually people became prosperous and flow of money made facilitate marriage function in hotels. Simultaneously, after passing of decades, a boy too transforms into an adult man, the same happened with me too. In this worldly life, every one is under obligation to attend various social functions in the name of birth day party, wedding occasion etc.
Attending a function
In the same way, once I received a wedding invitation. The venue of the function was hotel. My host informed me, this hotel has got a surprising feature. The hotel management in arranging marriage ceremonies, too was to provide a program with retro-touch. The program with retro-touch was the old timed Orchestra party program with old singers. This was with the sole purpose to make old generation re-live the bygone moments of their past life. the main attraction was, “performance of old song of the golden era.”
A surprise awaited me
I happened to arrive in that program slightly late and appeared directly to the audience- hall of the Retro songs performance. Their awaited a surprise for me. It was the same Orchestra-party of my student life. The amazing fact was, it was being led by the same Alexander alias Alek Sir. No doubt, he too had transformed into a senior citizen, grown enough old. I too was witnessing him after about thirty years. No sooner, I found him there, the memories of my first ever Orchestra-program of the life summoned back. Every thrilling moment of the past student life reeled before my eyes in a flash.
It was indescribable to give words to those nostalgic moments. The very moment he finished his running song, I rushed to him and eagerly requested him to play the same song of the movie “Bobby,” ( Mai Shayer to nhin [ I was not a poet…but the moment I threw a glance …..) He happily fulfilled my wish, After half an hour, from the same stage an announcement was made for all, ” dinner been served all guests are requested to to relish the delicacies.” all we moved to the dinning hall, the members of the Orchestra- party too accompanied us. There only, I talked with an eagerness of a student with Alek sir. I related him my first ever experience of Orchestra – program of my student life, that was led by him and about the first song and its nostalgic impact upon me.
After the meal, we again gathered in the same concert hall. This time, he without my request, on his own, sang the same song again. Even he related the incidence to the audience in the hall. In our Indian Hindus, wedding functions are arranged in accordance to almanac, and a good number of wedding ceremonies take place in a given session, that runs for months. Often every family receive various invitation in every session. It coincided, I received some invitation of wedding function which were scheduled to be held in the same hotel.
It always happened, whenever I stepped inside the audience hall, Alek Sir at once took my notice and stopped his running performance half finished and replaced that with the same song of the movie “Bobby.” It was like to pay a respect to me, an old fan of his. It occurred on various occasions. After all, basically he was an artist, who could afford to greet me in this way and this ever touched me deep down to the heart.
Some friends
In further coming years, once my one friend introduced to me, one of his friend, he was a Christian. His name was A. Llyod Messy. We developed an intimacy as close friend. Though he belonged to some distant district of the Eastern Province, but was here in his job in some motor car show room. He was inhabiting here for long. Once in our group we were chatting about the “once popular singers of the city,” Indubitably, the name of the Alek Sir was on the top. My that friend A. Llyod Messy with a pleasant sense made me know, Mr Alexander alias Alek sir was his real maternal uncle. An another friend in the group too was there. He came up as his son-in-law.
How the “clock of time” arranging all these sequence in a way, was pleasant to experience. A. llyod Messy informed me, on the oncoming festive occasion of X-mas day, he was to launch a party and in that party, we all were supposed to enjoy a “soiree of songs”, sung by maternal uncle. There is a saying, ” man proposes, god disposes,” Just a week prior to the function, I developed the acute pneumonia and was forced to get hospitalized. I was not in condition to attend the “soiree,” Well, Alek Sir! if not that occasion, I hope in near future, I will enjoy once again this kind of “private party” with you! Long live Alek Sir! (End of the story ) … Penned by — Vinay Pharasi……
