Everything
has a price. And it is more if the characteristic of the project is: of the
elderly, by the elderly and for the elderly.
The
session started off with a bang. Within moments of announcement about 14 members
enrolled – as would any of Salman Khan’s Eid movies close booking within
seconds of opening.
One
guiding principle was that the session would be held at each member’s house in
alphabetic order. A few were keen that
they would attend but not host. We reckoned that 14 was a good figure
considering that on an average each member will have a five-seater sofa and six
dining chairs in his house, to seat 11. And at any given time some members will
be absent attending marriage, 60th birthday, housewarming, and the
like. So we settled down to small is
beautiful rather than more the
merrier.
Now
comes the problems attendant with the elderly. The first person who had to skip
even the very first class was my friend. He and his wife had to rush to Dubai
as their daughter in law delivered the baby ahead of ETA.
Yet
another moved in recently and promptly enrolled his name. He however alerted us
that he would join only when he returns from Chennai after a while. We look
forward to seeing his face.
Then
came the turn of the person whom we looked upon for mid-course corrections in
our rendition. He joined and withdrew soon saying he would be off to the States
in ten days. But we persuaded him, and he did oversee our performance for three
classes. We now look forward to his return to assess our progress in the
interim.
“Sorry
friends, I am going to London and will be away for six months,” came a jolt
from another member. He was a better-rated chanter, and one could count on him
for small corrections, though we could do so similarly with him.
Not
to be outdone, yet another member continued in the same breath. “Yes gentlemen,
I too will be away later, not for six months, but just for two-three months, to
be with my daughters in USA and Canada.” In the chorus rendering his voice was always stood
out - with the tinge of Sastrigal.
“We
will manage with the rest. Anyway two will return in October, one in November,
and so on,” we consoled ourselves with the dwindling number.
Amidst
this exodus, I another SFVian asked me the other day. “How come you people take
one hour to chant? I do in just twenty minutes; of course in fast-forward
mode,” he said. “I don’t care much about intonation and diction.” That is the
essence of Rudram-Chamakam, I felt. It reminded me of the surgeon announcing to
the near and dear ones, “Operation successful, patient collapsed.”
Now
comes the bombshell from Kalanidhi who started Rudram-Chamakam literally from
scratch, but has made the fastest stride in the group. Yes, the family is
relocating to Electronic city.
He
has made two specific requests: one, not to delete his name from the group, He
would recite in his home at the same time as we would here. Two, when he is
fully settled, we visit his new home one day to chant Rudram-Chamakam. “We
shall,” responded one member promptly, “but instead of the usual coffee, it
should be High Tea as we shall be coming from a long distance.” “No, no,”
quipped another. “Since the chanting is from 11 to 12 noon, it should be lunch
thereafter.” “Why go in for all these?” asked the third. “We shall chant
Rudram-Chamakam at his residence, avail of the usual coffee after the event. On
our way back, we will all, including him, have buffet lunch at a good
restaurant.’
Luckily,
regardless of this temporary setback, we are a never-say-die group, never willing
to take things lying down – improvement or no improvement in rendition.
2 comments:
Even in a sinking ship captain strays till last. However our group is neither a sinking ship nor an one man army .So let us keep going (I am one of the culprits who often misses the chanting)
Not to worry, you will have people coming voluntarily and would run the show. Its a questoon of time. Your efforts in the group is a an achievement. God is great. - S Gopalakrishnan from Kumaraswamy layout
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