Hi Nazeef! Great writeup man! truly interesting and elaborative.. Thanks & Regards, -Avinash
--- In [email protected], "naztitude" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Jaipur- History rewritten!! > > > As the whole world may know-Rajasthan, The incredible state of > India, known for it's grand history, festivals and its capital just > concluded the celebrations of what was called the Rajasthan Day > Celebration. The weeklong festival had people all over the world > coming in to participate. > Jaipur-With its rich and colourful past, resplendent with tales of > valour and bravery, breathtaking beauty, stunning jewelry, over a > hundred feet long fort walls, precious stone-embedded palaces, > the `Rajputs' as quoted-who use swords to wear the `tilak' on their > foreheads and with a reputation of being included as a city with a > striking knowledge of astronomy and geometric planning had to > rewrite its History. All of the aforementioned took a bow-when one > musician entered this city, with innumerable adjectives. Little did > they know, that all the History that is talked about would look like > the smallness of an ant, when the Azeem O shaan Shahenshah himself > would rewrite History. The whole city halted when this man sang. And > they continued singing even after he left them. Who heard them?! > Gomtesh, Navas, Pavan and myself heard Jaipuri's sing "Ae mere > darbar main khwaja", when hours before they sang the title tracks > of `welcome' and `race'. > A gtalk talk with Gomzy, a little bit of "googling" on Jaipur and > tickets were booked. Bags were packed-with clothes,cameras and > luck.Lots of them. Jaipur gave us a warm welcome indeed-in the > literal sense also, and the regular sandstorms ensured that we took > baths at regular intervals. The autos here are twice the size I see > here, and is adorned with all the possible mythical figures.Jaipur!! > The weeklong celebration had a lot of artists coming in-prior to > ARR's performance, were Sunidhi Chauhan, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and a > few others. They all seemed like a cup of water in front of the > might oceans when ARR's show happened. > The group that came together was Vithur, Gomzy, Navas, Pavan and > myself. It surely brought back memories of the Bangalore, Delhi and > Chennai concert. > The stage setup was amazing. The lighting was excellent. And this > time, I believe ARR had the most rigourous practise session.Till > 5.30 in the morning!! > We decided that the next day we load ourselves with cameras and go > sight seeing-and make full use of the long journey undertaken. But > God made different plans for us. The long prayers and planning, > worked out. We went to the Hotel where ARR was put up. Thanks to > understanding people in the ARR family, we got a chance to meet him. > I had the great opportunity to walk with ARR from his room to the > lobby where the rest of us waited. And what he asked me on the way > was perhaps the most awaited moment of my life ."Hey, do you want to > come for Namaaz with me?? " I was stunned. I had no time to even > repeat the question in my mind. I said "Yes, of course" > obviuosly.But first-he stopped by to meet the group. He spoke to us > for a few minutes. Very relaxed, composed and calm he was. He > volunteered for photographs, autographs, handshakes and hugs. > Gaurav, a finalist in the airtel super singer, was there in the > hotel. He came, hoping he'll get a chance to get a glimpse of > ARR.But what he got from ARR, just remains testimony to the fact > that ARR is the greatest and most humble. ARR recognised him. He > gave him an autograph and asked him-"Hey, do you want to sing with > me tonight!? " Now, this is what I call FATE. Gaurav was stunned. So > were we. So was the world. He requested to sir that he'd sing for > Pukar, and the gentleman musician smiled and said "ok, see you at > the venue" .Cried Gaurav.Such was the greatness in the man. > Then came my moment. My most awaited moment. To have rubbed > shoulders with Rahman and to get deep into prayers. To read Namaaz > with him, that too on a Friday, which we believe is a like a mini > Eid. To have read the Du'a with him. To have wished the angels > together. Rahman no doubt imbibed in me a great sense of Sufism > through his music, but this prayer surely made me a more spiritual > person in life. Rahman would close his eyes and not open till his > prayer got over. Dressed in a white kurtha and a green topi-ARR won > the hearts of the people around him. And God. That was the man AR > Rahman. I wish to follow this, with the magician musician AR Rahman. > > Evening.8 pm. The police in jaipur were shocked. They failed to > understand that for years, they never saw such a huge gathering in > this city, what had made the rather conserved people of jaipur come > out and break barricades. A free entry is not a free entry. More > than 60 percent of the seats are reserved and kept designated. The > remaining portion was the free entry area and very silly of the > organisers to have done that-as the crowd came out of > proportions.They broke barricades.They forced upon themselves a > lathi charge. On the other side of the venue was a huge stage. With > a repertoire of over 70 musicians, singers and dancers , came the > Pied Piper Rahman!! > A mind blowing stage setup. A must mention-the sound and lights. The > dancers, for after a long time, the song and the choreo sequenced. > Present for the evening, was the CM of Rajasthan herself, Smt > Vasundhara Raje. And she stayed throughout the show, that being from > around 8.15 to 11 pm. There was a felicitation program and ARR was > presented a momento from the CM, and the latter in turn asked for a > favor. And that being favorable to all of us. You hardly have > politicians do favors to the people, but this one could be included > in the history rewriting. She requested for Dil hai chota sa from > Roja. And how happy he was to play it for her. The song was not a > part of the list and Neeti Mohan almost did a superb job of pulling > it off without the lyrics.And Rahman's Yelelo to add to the already > sweet song. Another special Family was the royal family of Rajputana- > the great grand daughter of Jodha Bai, who was there for the music > launch was here too. She told rahman, that he truly is the emperor > of music. Thanked Javed Ali for being the beautiful voice behind > Jashne Bahara. She stayed right till the artists left the stage. > > The concert began with Jaage hain from Guru, with AR Rahman dressed > in a royal white sherwani, sang from one corner of the stage in > complement to Sadhna Sargam's voice and the heavy orchestration > behind the song.Each time ARR moved from one level of the stage to > the other, he went higher and higher. And the crowd goes mad. > > The list of songs performed are as follows. > > Blaaze intro (Blaaze) > Jaage hain (Sadhna/ARR) > Khalbali (ARR) > O humdum (ARR/Benny/Naresh) > Roja (Hari/Sadhna) > Barso Re (Neeti Mohan) > Patshaala (Blaaze/Naresh/Aslam) > Jashne Bahara (Javed Ali) > Chupke se (Sadhna/ Javed Ali) > Roobaroo (ARR/Naresh) > Dil se re (ARR) > Satrangi re (Javed Ali) > Chale Chalo (ARR/Benny/Naresh) > Azeem O shaan (Aslam/Dr Narayan/Chorus) > Felicitation > Khwaja Mere Khwaja (ARR/Aslam/Dr) > Tu hi re (ARR/Sadhna) > Tumhari adaaon main vari vari (Sadhna/female back ups) > Kesaria (Sadhna Sargam) > Aye hairathe (Hari/Sadhna) > Vaaji Vaaji (Hari/Madhushree) > Maiya Maiya (Neeti/Aslam) > Kabhi neem neem (Madhushree/ARR) > Rang De Basanti Chola (Javed Ali) > Ghanan Ghanan (Hari/Aslam Khan/Sadhna/Madushree/Naresh/Javed) > Tere Bina (ARR/Madhushree) > RDB Title (Sadhna/Aslam Khan) > Humma humma (ARR/Blaaze) > Vande Matram (ARR/All) > > Initially there seemed plans, of playing Fanaa, but was quite > wondering how this would go without Tanvi, and true to the > wonderment, this song was called off and so was Ishq bina, for > reasons unknown. > The concert was energy packed.All were Hindi songs except Sivaji > which was mixed.Blaaze gave the initial energy shots.ARR entered and > the crowd wont stop. Each song was amazing-in voice and > performance.No flaws!! Khalbali was as usual super energised. O > humdum was awesome. It was like made for the show.Roja was an old > favorite. Neeti never fails to perform well.She won hearts with > Barso re.Dilse re was touching.The sweet voice that plays there-so > reached your heart, from his own. After a long time, my dream of > hearing him play Chale Chalo was fulfilled. I heard him last in > Bangalore. This song is a masterpiece. The strings and percussions. > Needless to mention, the medley Azeem o Shaan plus rukkumani plus > Veerapandi always remains my favorite. A treat to eyes, ears and > heart.What energy levels for that piece. Sivamani hates to take > rest.Its an assumed fact-that his hands ache when they stay idle. > His solo performance was surely a thing to remember. > Main vari vari was a special for the north indian audience. > The winning performer surely was the new comer in the gang-Javed > Ali.With a song like Jashne baharaa, which I believe will already > win the song of the decade award-and a voice like that, he just > ensured a permanent seat in the gang. What a performer he is!! What > a voice and what energy!! He replaced Sonu nigam and Sukhwinder > singh with ease. He sang his own jashne bahara, followed by satrangi > re and Chaiya chaiya. Satrangi re is a song that requires serious > voice modulation and tuning, and chaiya chaiya, the energy level to > stay that high for that long. And what Javed did, was all that was > needed and that too with ease. He won his place in the team. Super > show. Rahman was super charged this show. His energy and enthusiasm > was show when hi joined Javed in another super song-Rang de basanti > chola. Rahman joined Aslam Khan in RDB. It was a rare occasion to > see ARR vocally participate in these songs. And then there was > Ghanan Ghanan, with all those appointed to sing the song began with > randomn alaaps-and a small string section played at the back, while > at once, they begin the song and complemented by a heavy string > section. > Vande matram closed the show. Penultimately, it was Humma humma. > Blaaze entered into the crowds. He is one superhero. Wonder where he > gathers so much energy from.Tere bina was good, but somehow, without > taking credit away from Madhushreeji, I feel this song belongs to > Chinmayi. Her voice modualtion. Like they say, every voice is unique- > So thus!! The crowd was good, in turn out and involvement. They were > better than the private concert ones in chennai. Good energy they > showed. They surely told Rahman they loved him. And so did Rahman. > He stayed there for more than three hours, singing. > > Thank you Lord for giving me the blessed chance to witness this > event. To my parents for having supported me in my passion towards > Rahman.For having given me the chance to teleprompt. To Benny, for > being there and for spending time with us. The sweetness list > extends to Sayanora, Raihanaji, Javed Ali, the super talented flute > man Naveen. To Blaaze for being such a special friend. To Hari haran > ji-for the unconditional support.To Aslam Bhai and Dr, they > entertain us both off and on stage!! > > To Rahman sir.Thank you. We cant stop thanking you enough on your > greatness and your sweet gestures. For having accpeted to stop by > and meet us. For having obliged to bear with us for longer than > usual, inspite for having to run for prayers. Thank you sir. We pray > that Allah showers his choiciest blessings on you. You truly remain > in our hearts. > > As always in my write up about the concerts-This mail from a very > persaonal point of view I apologise for writing this in a detailed > manner.It was on a request from a few members. Im sorry If I have > failed to mention anyone or anything about the entire event. It > remains unintentional and purely accidental. > Like said already, Rahman rewrote history.Jaipur that gives evidence > to the grand history that our textbooks spoke of, bowed down to his > majesty, his musical genius. > Rahman. He came.He sang.He conquered. >
