Congratulations to Gopal and others! --- On Thu, 6/4/09, snlavanya <[email protected]> wrote:
From: snlavanya <[email protected]> Subject: [arr] Re: About this group - In his footsteps (express article) To: [email protected] Date: Thursday, June 4, 2009, 6:25 AM Hi! I am a new member here .... I NEVER knew that this group was THIS famous and popular!! Good job guys!! Keep up the good work! Long live Rahman sir! Jai Ho! --- In arrahmanfans@ yahoogroups. com, Gopal Srinivasan <catchg...@. ..> wrote: > > Print version > > http://www.flickr. com/photos/ arrahmanfans/ 3594415850/ > > On Thu, Jun 4, 2009 at 05:56, Anil Nair <rhythmcalls@ ...> wrote: > > > > > > Cheers to all of us :-) > > Proud to be a Rahmaniac .... > > -A > > http://www.expressi ndia.com/ latest-news/ in-his-footsteps /470886/ > > > > In his footsteps > > > > Font Size > > -A+A > > > > Dipti Nagpaul D'Souza > > > > Posted: Jun 04, 2009 at 0115 hrs IST > > Print Email To Editor Post Comments > > It was a hot Sunday afternoon in Pune and we found ourselves in the midst of > > nearly two dozen youngsters from all over India. Brimming with excitement, > > the group is Rahman's very own barmy army, in Pune specially to attend a > > Rahman show. > > > > Every time the maestro plans a concert, this group of boys — and a handful > > of girls— converge at the host city. While this may sound like a regular fan > > club, the members insist it isn't. "We are almost like an official fan club. > > Rahman recognises most of us and that adds credibility to our group," says > > 22-year-old Nazeef Mohammed from Bangalore. But it took nearly a decade to > > attain this almost official fan club status. > > > > "In the mid-1990s, during Roja, I became a huge fan of Rahman. The Internet > > wasn't so big and information on him was scarce. At that time, I would read > > everything possible I could find about him. I used to think I'm his biggest > > fan," says Gopal Shrinivasan, a Hyderabad-based financial consultant.. But > > as > > the network opened up, I realised I was wrong and that there are many people > > who revere him." On January 1, 1999, Shrinivasan started a group fan club > > online with a handful of members to start with. But over time, it gained > > popularity to log in thousands of registered members including several from > > Delhi. > > > > Though active online, the group didn't witness any activity of consequence > > till 2005. "Rahman had announced his Bangalore concert and we all knew we > > had to be a part of this somehow," recounts Shrinivasan who is also the > > group moderator. "About 20 of us converged from all over the country and for > > four days we did voluntary work for the concert organizers. That is when we > > all really bonded for the first time." > > > > Ever since, the group has been hosting regular meets in Mumbai. "We try to > > meet once a month to jam and enjoy Rahman's music at my place in Andheri," > > adds Swapnil Mistry, a professional singer. > > > > In the background, excited chatter and conversation flows easily. What's > > surprising is that the group — though a melting pot of cultures — uses Tamil > > as their first language. "Many of us learnt how to read, write and talk in > > Tamil because of Rahman's music," says 29 -year-old Anand Swamy, a > > Mumbaikar, who has a peculiar superstition before a Rahman concert. "Every > > time I attend his concert I shave my head," he confesses, a tad sheepishly. > > It's easy to believe that as moderator of the group, Shrinivasan is probably > > the most level-headed till the group spills the beans on him. "Gopal buys a > > copy of every cassette and CD with AR Rahman written on it. He has eight CDs > > of Bombay just because the album was launched with different jacket covers," > > laughs Mistry. > > > > The stories are endless — at times hilarious and at times moving — but their > > passion for the maestro's music evokes respect. "Every time we ask him what > > he wants for his birthday, he says we should help the needy on that day," > > says 31-year-old Vithur who distributes food to the poor every Sunday in > > Chennai on behalf of the group. No wonder some people say that Rahman's so > > down-to-Earth, he has a hunch. > > > > -- > > -A > > http://viewsnmuse. blogspot. com > > > > >
