Fine it’s 9.10. I’ll have to leave. Bye.

Oh my goodness. Coimbatore’s decibel levels are soaring high. The vehicles. The machines. The people. Gosh! My ears are bleeding.

Kabhi kabhi Aditi Zindagi… And my music express yelling!

God! If not pin-drop silence at least ton-drop silence???

A swift race with the sun on Thadagam road to enter Lawley road gate was hell today and my acoustic system needed some soothing, desperately. Down the gallery was Pudhu Vellai mazhai from Roja and “Play”. The cool breeze from the agri fields carried me floating and the impromptu of birds accompanied me to the post office in seconds past the new building that reflected my changed mood in its blue and green glass panes.

In around next 10 quick steps was standing a sturdy-stout and bulky frame with his black sling bag on his ever horizontal shoulders that hinged two arms which waved all 10 tuning fingers to resonate a frequency and paint the corridor air with the rhythm of engineering. That’s enough for you to guess he’s from Civil.

Hai Jeevan! ( That’s his name!)

Hey Dude! This is my most faaavourite song.

Indeed, your elation!

So you have lab today?

Friday – Instrumentation Lab – a noisy experiment today. Phew!

Noise? When you can enjoy ARR, you must (enjoy) that too… for you are an Engiii.

Still…

Thus began our colloquy for the day.

“I’m more interested in Sounds than music”

Sound in the sense? Even the ****ing honking outside?

Yes. Every single vibration in nature has music in it. Be it a piano, I want to bring out the WOW sound out. In the early 90’s it was all hardware and orchestra but now it is Sound Engineers and Programming. There are very few composers and a huge lot of Sound Programmers as such.

Glad to meet you Mr. Civil cum Sound Engineer.

Yes, Astound studio- my dream is now a reality gift from dad. The only fact which he enquired me was not the budget but the balance – Balance between Academics and Passion. I gave him an equation and he gave me my treasured possession. Mom is very supportive on her part and my first music is all ready for release in a few days (Woo!). And I’m stupidly Little-bit-too excited. *laughs* But I don’t want to make music a business, a money minded sale. My Passion is way far off from Profession. Both should never intersect me at the crossroads. One second… ( his phone)

Hello Daddy. Nenu college ochi cherasnanu . Bojnaniku intiku vasthanu… Bye.

Dad actually could not afford a quality-or-class instrument then. So I managed with a basic model. But dad was struggling to fulfil the ‘otherwise-no’ yes which he had promised to this adamant son of his. The best he could do was to put me into a class which offered training in the basis and the prompt pick-up-and-drop which he never forgets even today when my vehicle rests in the shed. The classes were so very jam-packed with schooling that I could make it to only a twenty classes, as far as my memory is good enough.

So that means the Mozart of R.S.Puram was in making…

Yea. My first touch was C major scale, a thumb on the C key, as simple as that. Then as classes could not be regular, rather I could not be regular; I solely believed in and repeated cassettes. My music collection today is in boastful GB’s. Eleventh and Twelfth I was put in a hostel. I headed the music troupe and I still remember the day when I just read out a poem written by my friend and it got programmed into a song in my lips and stored in my brain. I had my first composition then and there and MINE for once and for all.

So finally a musician was baked with the cake!!!

Not that easy Gowtham. The same person who could not satisfy my music appetite then, Saved for me – every single drop, to get me my workplace a proud Roland Juno Di. As I didin’t have much of training , it was actually Google-guru who helped me learn the ragas. And a rare Santoor player from Coimbatore. (I) Don’t remember his name exactly but inspired me with that instrument. On the Playback side it is Hariharan and Vijay Prakash, Of course.

Any kind of favourite list in your player?

Vennira iravugal from Paesu. Not many know this, but it is one in my top list. Speaking about songs it is a different mood for each day. Sad – Standing in motion (by) Yaani or excited PoC tune. Different moods all over. ARR, my God yes but his are still behind Hans Zimmer’s evergreens. Relaxation – I must say, is what I seek in music.

So does that include your special dedication for someone very special?

Music and Love are two palms. And you know what is clap- again a sound. My twelfth standard monsoon days in Pondicherry constantly rewind whenever I get to listen Vaaranam Aayiram rom-tunes. Yes, songs are now in the process of getting special for someone. *blush*

You told her? You confessed?

Yes. And you?

Double No :( Not sure of a return yes.*

(*Refers to two different girls. Our birthdays coincide, definitely not our choices.)

Well getting back, So do you relate colour to music?

Yes. Music also is about believing in what many refuse to be believing in. So it is a yes.

Highly impossible. I’m sincere to myself. And I never record my songs it’s all in my memory. So there is no chance of the P word.

Oh nice. Do you believe in ghosts?

Fine. Now imagine a case of Plagiarism filed on your tune…

I haven’t put in much of research into it. Again colours are moods, mood is music. Nice question by the way.

Hey P.C. assignment mudichitiya? How many pages? ( To one of his class mates)

Coming back to GCT from early morning dream, I realized I had a watch to look at…

Fine it’s 9.10. I’ll have to leave. Bye.

Bye Dude.

Wonderful personality. Proud I am his friend. I said to myself.

The next eight hours were for my ears. I enjoyed the sound of the broom, the tap of my shoe, the drag of corridor, the flipping of pages, the howl of the wind, the rhythm of the flush, the filling of my bottle, the payal of my hunt, and finally the music of the Blower in the lab which was otherwise-noise but today- music.

Amma intlo unnara? Nenu oka singerni kalsesi 6 o’clock intiki vasthanu.

This voice? I turned back. There he was ready to start on his bike.

Hey Jeevan. Home?

Yes. Coming?

Lawley Road please.

And for his ever fast ride down a kilometre stretch (which had my cap’s last flight few months back) he questioned me at the bus stop…

Do you think I’m unique?

In the sense?

You now know something about me at this time when I’m a bit preoccupied to tell about me.

You’ll have your answer not from me… 1c.Bye.

He had the answer for both HE and ME in the sling bag whish he wore. It read Success.

My Success that Persona post 2 is ready.

And his Success??? Left to you to judge.

Happy Friendship Day.

Friend for-long

Gowtham