Karan Singh Rathore: Part II - Happy Birthday, Karanji :)

(continued from here...)

Months briskly tiptoed away. Life was pretty much the same with mornings spent in college and evenings, partying with pen and paper while we relished on Karan Singh’s little poems and panktiyaan. VII sem was training semester when we did not have to attend college. We had to undergo 20 weeks training in either an industry or a hospital. So, I was not living in a hostel anymore.

It was 5th November, Wednesday, my birthday and I was on my way home. Internet at home was messed up, so I went to a cyber café before I reached home. Opened my mailbox.. and.. almost collapsed with what I saw in there. Goodness gracious sakes alive!
A mail from Karan. Sub: Happy Birthday!!

Do I need to tell you now how I reacted? I was in a cyber café, so I let out a record breaking softest happy, excited scream. When I came back to my senses, I was confused. How did he know it was my birthday!? Surely my gang of girls must’ve done something! I started reading the mail. It was a long one. He had wished me a great day, happiness and blessings and then followed my birthday gift- 5 panktiyaan that he had written, ones that he had never read on air or published anywhere, ones for which I was going to be the first one to read :) I was overjoyed!! That was the best gift I could get. Unseen creations from the creator himself. :) Bliss I felt.
While replying to the mail, I realized it was a Wednesday; on Thursday, he used to take calls or call selected people who mailed him their numbers. I wrote my number there and said that I’d love to be on air the next day.

A very happy girl I was when I stepped out of the cyber café. On reaching home, mom told me there had been a lot of calls and that everyone said they’d call back later. I happily settled on the sofa, thinking of.. no, not Karan’s mail.. but of the lovely chocolate cake that was waiting for me. The phone calls started.

TRINNG TRINNGGGG.....
I reluctantly got up, knowing the call was for me and staggered to the phone.
“Hello?”
“Hello? May I speak to...” went the male voice.
Mighty heavens what a voice! Call is for brother. I should ask who it is. Damn what a sexy voice!
“...Shruti?” the male voice completed his question.
Call for me!!?? “Speaking.. who’s this?”
“Shruti, many many happy returns of the day”
“Thank you.. who’s this?”
“You didn’t recognize my voice?”
“No, who is it?” I was beginning to get very irritated now because this stranger was making me talk and not telling who he was grrrr!!!
I heard a light, silent chuckle from the other end. I waited for his answer with a frown.
Finally, he spoke, “Aksar hum… Hindi mein baatein kiya karte hain..”
:-O “!!!! Karan Siiiiiiingh!!!!” I yelled into the phone like an excited teen! I recognized that tone, that style.. when voice and words came together, I recognized the stranger behind the voice!
“Ohmygodohmygod.. This is such a lovely surprise”
*silent chuckles from the other end again* (that’s Karan’s style of laughter, all you get to hear is breathing sounds)
“You had written your number in the mail, to maine socha aapko aaj hi call karke wish kar doon.”
“Thank you so much Karanji, you made my day..” I happily chirped into the phone.. At this moment, I noticed two pairs of huge surprised eyes on very confused faces studying me from a distance- mom’s and brother’s. LOL!!

Karan told me that my friends had mailed him asking him to wish me. We spoke for a few minutes before I reluctantly ended the conversation with a heavy ‘bye'. *sigh* Why are goodbyes so difficult?
After a quick explanation for my hyper reactions to my mom and brother, I cut my cake happily. Calls followed and I told my gang about what had happened.
PRaNkSS, u gals are precious :-*

Soon after dinner, I hit the bed with the radio plugged into my ears. This time, it felt like I was listening to an old friend. The show went on in its usual grandeur till it was time to say shubh raatri. To my surprise, before ending the show, he wished ‘Shrutiji a happy birthday once again.’ Such a sweetheart! What say? :)
Such a memorable birthday that one was! :)

Today, the writer-painter-sculptor-singer, the man with the heavenly voice celebrates his birthday.
Karanji, from me and from all of us, your ardent admirers, here’s a grand, genuine, heartfelt wish for you to have the best birthday ever and a superb, successful, joyous year ahead! :) May the mighty God above keep showering you with blessings forever and ever...

A lovely yummy chocolate cake is going to me cut in my house today :) because its my mom's birthday too! Happy birthday lovely mommy :-*

(Karan's story to be continued...)

Karan Singh Rathore: Part I - Falling in love with a voice

It was one of those seasons when completing assignments was more important than brushing the teeth, when the only source of entertainment in our cozy, wrecked hostel room, amidst A4 sized pages and books that weighed more than my birth weight, was that little talking-singing box, my radio walkman. We listened to RJ Aniruddh’s flirtatious voice in the afternoon, RJ Geeta Modgil’s naughty rants in the evening, unidentified, staccato advertising voices, all this in the middle of songs, new and old, that played all day long. I usually stuck to Radiocity 91 FM because they always played Hindi songs and that’s what I loved to hear.

One night, as my pen scribbled out on yet another bundle of A4 sheets, in between songs, a voice spoke out. My pen paused. I sat still, wide eyed, heart beating hard, full of awe and admiration for the voice that spoke. “Mere sunnewalon, aap sun rahe hain Yaadein..”, went the voice. Poetry followed, thoughts followed, listeners called him up and he spoke to them on air... as I sat there awestruck, dumbstruck, just letting the best voice in the world wash over me, the voice of Karan Singh, radio jockey of Radiocity 91 FM. It was the year 2002.

We were 4 roommates and we all listened to him together with a lot of admiration and appreciation (and a lot of shivers and little shreiks from me). We’d write down or record his shers and his panktiyaan.. his lovely writings that he used to recite passionately to all of us, on air. His style of reciting was incomparable, matchless, and that teamed with his deep, husky, heartfelt tone, it was heavenly!! :)
An urge grew within me, irrepressible urge. I wanted to talk to him. But silly me, every time I heard his voice on air, I’d go weak in the knees.. if I heard him on phone.. talking exclusively to me !!!! I’d ... THUD!! drop to the floor!

And so, I remained a craving fool, just listened to him and envied the people who, unlike me, were not nervous to call and talk. Thursday was the day of the week when he used to take calls. On that day, he used to ask his listeners a common question and the callers used to answer one by one. It’d be a question that made people think, analyse and then answer. I always had stuff to say. Everything I had to say filled up within me till I couldn’t contain anymore. That’s when I decided to start mailing him. I’d mail him elaborately about my thoughts, my views. For every little thing asked on air, be it questions or suggestions, I would mail him my replies.

One day, to my pleasant surprise, there was a mail from Karan Singh in my inbox, awaiting to be read. I screeeeamed in joy!! :D :D A mail from the man whose words and voice I admired and whose voice I knew was the best in the world! I'm falling short of words to explain my excitement at that time :). Soon, he started mentioning my name on air, thanking me for my mails, reading out my suggestions and mailing me off and on :)

One Saturday, Geeta Modgil, another RJ of the same radio station, before going off air after her show, announced that Karan Singh would be off air for 2 days because he had got married and was on his honeymoon. 2-day honeymoon?? Karan Singh got married?? :-O Technically, it shouldn't have made a difference to me, but like all female fans, I was.. not a bit happy. Na.. not one bit! It didn't seem fair! I sulked for a few hours, but slowly spoke to my head that I should be happy about it. The next day (Sunday), I sent an e-card to him and distributed chocolates in the hostel. (Everyone there knew that I was a HUUUGE fan of his!)
Monday night came and Karan was on air again. He began the show with, "*sigh* main thak gaya hoon.. Geeta ki harkaton se.. Nainashree aur Shrutiji, thanks for your ecards." (Nainashree was another regular caller). He assured us that there was no marriage and that Geeta was just being a little brat.

The next day, I distributed chocolates in the hostel again :)

(...to be continued...)

Height of Insensitivity

I saw one of the most thoughtless women last week at the railway station.

The indicator showed 6:01 pm and the next train was scheduled for 6:08pm. The platform got more and more crowded as seconds ticked away. An obese, impatient woman came by and asked me, "Was there an announcement about the train being late?" I shook my head and said, "Another 7 minutes" and looked away. She looked talkative and I was in no mood for small talk. Among a lot of tired and bored people there was a very energetic group of college students, talking, teasing and laughing aloud. It was fun watching them. I like it when a group of friends enjoy without a care about what is happening around them.

I saw the fat woman watching them. She came towards me and spoke to the girl next to me, "These girls have to go to Andheri. I'll tell them there is a direct train to Andheri at 6:15pm. That way they won't get into this one. There is already so much rush. If these people come, we won't get any place to sit."

I was flabbergasted! Such insensitive people really do exist on the same planet that I abide?

The girl was no less shocked and told Mrs. Senseless, "No, aunty, why trouble them?" But she said it too sweetly. I would've given the woman such a dirty look that she would've hidden her face for the rest of the month!

I heard the loud honking of the arriving train, but the chirpy group's loud announcements amongst themselves about the comfortable direct train were louder.

"Aunty, you're sure about the train, aren't you?" they excitedly asked to confirm.

"Trust me!" Bitch!

I briskly walked up to the crowd, looked at Mrs. Sweaty'n'Senseless with an exaggerated frown on my face and declared loudly to the group. "Look, there is no such train. She is misguiding you because she wants a place to sit. Get into this train. Hurry."

The group's split second decision was to believe me and they all hopped into the train. Once I was in, I looked for the fat woman; found her nowhere. But being insensitive enough to unhesitatingly lie to a group of kids waiting to get home, I doubt she had any shame in her that'd make her hide or not want to face the group.

...

That's all. Have a good day ahead. If you are waiting to know about your chances of being able to kick me, look at me sulk ---> :( :( :(

Now pity me. Or deposit your kicks in the feedback box, but listen to my reasons before that! The weekend I was aiming for, mom and I were alone at home and we were having a jolly time. I did not want to step out of that mood :D And last weekend, the 3-day long one, mom and I were not alone at home and so, I was spending time with the rest of the family :P

P.S. I was extremely upset with two of my friends (still am) for loudly assuming the way I treat my lovely students. Let me make it clear to everyone here. I DO NOT TORTURE MY KIDS!!! They are my cute, naughty bundles of joy whom I treasure and will never ever let anyone harm them in any way!! Do you get that clear, both of you?

PPS: RJ Karan Singh Rathore's programme 'Ru-ba-ru' on 104 Fever FM (Mumbai) turns ONE today. Karan's second album, also named 'Ru-ba-ru', will be releasing shortly. I will keep you updated about the whereabouts of the man with the lovely voice :)