67/100
Jet lagged , not yet unpacked and Bombay in the Monsoons has kept me from even looking at my Sarees all of this week. But this evening , a special occasion and the fact that I was home early had me all charged . My dear friend Srikant Anand Narayan who is one of our best singers and can bring back the awesomeness of Rafi Saheb’s magic so effortlessly was performing in Thane . The event was a fundraiser for Autism Awareness and I had promised him I would be there.
Srikant is someone who will never say no to supporting a good cause . I first met him many years ago when I heard him sing at a Bimal Roy Memorial event . I had just joined them as a Committee Member and this young boy’s talent and his humble demeanour had me so impressed . Then in 2005 I was organising a meeting for my patient group and asked him and his group to perform for them. At the end of a long day of testimonials and medical matters it would be so wonderful to have some music and what better than some popular and much loved Hindi film songs ! He agreed and we were all set . Then as the day dawned it turned out he had to go away that very evening to attend a family emergency . To my eternal gratitude Srikant kept his word and came for the event , performed and then caught the late night train out.
His thoughtful nature has not changed over all these years . Last month when I was in New York he called to invite me for a special Rafi show he was singing at . I was really upset I was going to miss it and told him so. His Rafi shows are to die for . And there I was in far away Manhattan . With his customary twinkle in the voice charm he asked me to tell him which song I would want to listen to the most . He would sing it for me there and then ! I could not believe my ears ! And then there I was walking down Madison Avenue on my way to the appointment at Sloane Kettering with Srikant singing my all time Rafi favourite Tum Jo Mil Gaye Ho on the phone . These are the kind of friends who people my world . How blessed am I .
So , this peach and white leheriya in silk was my choice and even though it got a bit wet and crushed as we took an autorickshaw to the auditorium it remained elegant enough ; that’s the beauty of a good handwoven silk I guess . Do not miss the costume jewellery danglers I picked up years ago at a sale at Macy’s in yes, NYC !