Friday Night and Kishor
Thursdays are when I do all of the cleaning up and uploading of the week’s progress so I can get out on time if not early on a Friday; although this time I think ‘twas probably designed by destiny for my departure to be late.
This was probably the best thing that happened to me all week since during the last couple of hours at work I came across some interesting music, I recognized as from a bygone era…the songs of Kishor.
Instant Nostalgia Attack!
Suddenly, I felt I had to get my hands on this music. An hour later, I was successful at getting a hold of a sizeable number of Kishor songs and rushed home.
Now home, I sit stretched out listening to “Meri Sapano Ki Rani” (The Queen of My Dreams), “Aanewalle Pal” (In the Moments to Come) and “Yaadon Ki Baarat” (A Procession of Memories) among other greats while I recollect the fragmented memories that remain, literally colored pastel and faint.
The small home in Bangalore, I grew up in from 1978 through 1984…which was actually a more like a cottage where we all lived – My parents, aunts, grandparents and the numerous visiting relatives round the year.
The memories of my grandparents sitting around breakfast while we turn on the radio for the morning news.
(Generally, by this time, everyone was either off to work, Mom on the early shift for HMT, my aunts on the bus to their respective Universities and Dad was generally out of town on work.)
Soon after the news, the drone of a voice telling us that we’re tuned in to the All India Radio station re-christened post Independence to Akashwani, a gentler voice who would give us an introduction to the composition we were about to hear and with a little crackle and snap of the radio, the songs would begin.
Like the setting for the climax of a movie, their ears and attention turned to the radio, listening into the “latesht” songs. Imagining the videos, sometimes relating to the songs, while other times admiring the compositions, sometimes describing black and white pictures of the “Golden Era” in Hindi Cinema (before it Americanized into Bollywood).
Simple music from simple instruments, no large scale anything, timed to perfection on small budgets still amaze with their perfection in sound, rhythm and melody…and the emotions they bring forth.
Despite how many times you listen to it…you always want more. Now, until the morning comes, I retire to my time machine, my memories, to teleport me via the music of Kishor.
Friday Night and Kishor...pretty good combination after all :)
Until the next time.
Peace,
Gautam
