Rekha Bhardwaj performed in a live open air event at the India Habitat Centre…. Rather, she performed from a covered stage and the audience sat under the open sky. …But let me not jump the gun!
A few days back, I noticed an advertisement in the Times of India (TOI), Delhi Edition about Rekha Bhardwaj’s upcoming performance at the India Habitat Centre. The ad urged readers to head to any of the given TOI offices with a copy of the newly launched Crest Edition. Apparently, we had only to wave the Crest there and abra cadabra .. a pass for the show would appear!
I kicked myself for discontinuing the Crest Edition just ten days back. I could not possibly call up my newspaper agent and tell him that I wanted it again and that too for a day! My friend Nupur took charge and managed to lay her hands on a couple of copies of Crest – the passports to the passes. Armed with these we paid separate visits to the Gurgaon office of the TOI.
First Nupur waved and waved the Crest Edition but in vain. The passes had been exhausted! Certain that she was doing something wrong, I paid another visit to the TOI office and waved my Crest at everyone I met. I even threw in my coy smile for good measure. I couldn’t even make it past the door.
Sunday dawned and, die-hard music fans that we are, Nupur and I decided to go to the venue of the programme anyway. In Delhi, there are so many cultural programmes going on at any point of time that we have developed the knack of gate crashing successfully to most of them. Besides, our logic was that, being an open air programme, no gate-keeper, pass-checker or security person could stop the notes of the music from slipping beyond the cordon of protection. We decided to listen to it from the outside if things got tough.
The serpentine queue at the venue resembled the earlier immigration queues at Delhi Airport. We took up our places at the tail. The queue snaked back and forth all over the fairly spacious Habitat Centre lawn. As we got talking to the elderly gentleman in front, he re-confirmed that one would need passes to enter. As he saw our faces fall, he pulled out two ‘extra’ passes since his sisters had dropped out of the programme at the last minute! Talk of miracles! Sadly, we did not even ask the name of our benefactor!
Luck ran out as we inched forward. Long before we reached the gate, we heard the verdict passed down from person to person in the queue ahead of us. Chinese whispers did not distort the message which was loud and clear – all the seats were taken and no more people would be allowed in. Shrugging, we settled down on the lawns to listen to the music – after all, that had been our expectation in the first place. There were a lot of us outside since the show had been promoted heavily in the newspaper.
The last time that I attended a TOI sponsored music recital was almost two decades back with the ‘Morning Ragas’ series. I remember shivering at 6:30 a.m on a cold winter morning as we listened to Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur! True, we sat on durries on the ground but we were made to feel welcome and at home, even though it was a ‘free’ programme. The organisers had thoughtfully organised complimentary chai in kulhars for all those present.
Coming back to the present, the acoustics were bad outside and one had to guess who was singing and what. I wonder why the organisers did not put up a large screen and some loudspeakers so that the overflow audience could savour at least a part of the show from the lawns and bless TOI! The Gods that managed the gates finally took pity on us after half an hour. They let some of us in amidst much shouting and confusion. By then many of those waiting had left.
One and a half hours into the performance, I was quite disappointed and I wasn’t the only one. The crowd was eager for the popular film tracks. Instead, Rekha Bhardwaj sang a series of unknown songs – including plenty of sufi music. I love spiritual music but my soul must have hardened and her renditions did not touch my soul. Looking at the masses walking around or shuffling out, it seemed to me that I was not the only one left unmoved. Also, did I hear a few off-key notes this evening? I thought so – but hey! Who am I to say that! I am not trained in Indian classical music!
Finally in the last 15 minutes, we heard her familiar numbers from Omkara and Delhi 6. She also sang Duma Dum Mast Kalandar… and these three songs were outstanding. I guess it is the classic dilemma of what we like doing versus what others want us to do. It is not just the dilemma of performers but of managers and people going through life! Rekha Bhardwaj should stick to her “folksy” film numbers. The crowd that remained cheered themselves hoarse at the last three numbers and trooped out happy. I am glad that I went for the show and got Rekha Bhardwaj out of my system. And I am glad that I saw and heard the accompanying keyboard artist – who was exceptional! He plays classical piano and jazz – quite a genius!
That was not all. At the gate stood volunteers handing out souvenirs … you guessed it! They were copies of the Crest Edition of the TOI! Mine is waiting prominently on my table. Who knows? It may become the future passport for another pass for another concert?
Posted by nilupaul 
