Congrats Umesh.. Atlast you met :) On Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 8:12 AM, Vithur <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > Congrats on you meeting ARR. God Bless. > > On Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 1:41 AM, umiesha <[email protected]> wrote: > >> >> >> 17TH October 2009…… >> Diwali – the Hindu Festival of Light…… >> My Birthday too……. >> >> NETHERLANDS >> >> My `big dream of the decade' came true…in a most unexpected way. >> >> It was around 4.30 p.m. and I was chatting online with my sister, telling >> her how depressed I was because I was going to miss another chance to see my >> `Hero' – A R Rahman – who would be attending an award ceremony 350km away in >> neighbouring Belgium. >> >> While we were chatting, the doorbell rang, making me jump, so I logged off >> and went to see who was at the door – it was my good friend, Dinesh. >> >> Opening the door, he gave me a big hug and greeted me with "happy birthday >> and may all your dreams come true!" I thanked him but told him that I only >> had one dream and no way was that going to come true! Dinesh asked me what I >> was talking about. >> >> "My Guruji is attending an award ceremony in Belgium", I replied. Dinesh >> was a little upset and said, "He is not only your Guruji but mine too!" I >> apologised to Dinesh and told him that all the tickets for the ceremony had >> been sold the previous week – I have known that since two days before. I >> didn't have a car – or a driving license, for that matter – and if I went by >> train, I would not be able to get back home as the ceremony didn't finish >> until 11.00 p.m. What's more, I did not know anyone in Belgium, so had no >> local support. >> >> "Sorry", my `Rahmaniacs', I didn't tell you what the ceremony was about. >> It was the `World Soundtrack Academy Awards' and was being held in the city >> of Gent. >> >> OK, back to how I could make my big dream come true. >> Dinesh suggested that we call the place where the ceremony was being held >> and ask again about tickets. "OK," I said, "I'll do it" and dialled the >> Awards office number. >> "How may I help you?" the receptionist asked. >> I told her that I was calling from the Netherlands and asked if there were >> any tickets available for that evening's awards programme. I didn't need to >> tell Dinesh that the receptionist's reply had been, "I am sorry to say that >> all the tickets have been sold" – it was obvious from the way I looked at >> him. >> >> I did not hang-up however but told the receptionist, "Look, I am A R >> Rahman's craziest fan – I don't care if I don't get to talk with him – just >> to see him would be enough. At what time will the guests be at the entrance? >> Is it possible just to stand there to get a look at him? Please help me >> madam! My home is 350 km away from Gent and it will take me almost 3 hours >> by car to get there. Dinesh could hear all this as I had switched my `phone >> to `speaker-phone'. >> >> After a while, the receptionist said, "Look, I know how much you guys love >> A R Rahman… let me talk to my colleague". - my face got brighter – "The show >> is going to start around >> 8.00p.m. but the doors will be open between 6.00p.m. and 7.45p.m. and >> that's when all the VIP's will arrive; then there's a break at 9.00p.m….oh, >> just a minute" she said. >> >> After a short time, she came back on the line and told us, "you guys might >> just be lucky…you might get two tickets after the break but I can't promise >> anything because it depends on whether people stay for the second part of >> the ceremony." That last sentence left our hearts racing and I could hardly >> form my words to thank her. She laughed and hung up. >> >> Now, the next problem was the car! Dinesh had a license but did not have >> his own motor. "I'm going to `phone a car rental company", he said, and by >> the time I was going to remind him that today was a Saturday, he was already >> being told, "Yep, we have a car available" and Dinesh told him that he would >> collect it in 5 minutes. I couldn't believe our luck. >> >> I looked at the clock and saw that it was 5 minutes past 5.00p.m and my >> mind could think of nothing except getting the car and driving straight to >> Gent. Dinesh told me he would collect the car and be back to pick me up in >> 10 minutes and that I should be ready and waiting on the street! >> >> Although my stomach was churning and my nerves were on a knife-edge, the >> thought of the ceremony in Gent helped reduce the tension. I just wanted to >> see my hero's humble face and tell him, "Guruji, I love you, jai ho!" even >> if it was some distance away from him. That's all I was thinking. >> >> Out on the street, I saw a new Nissan approaching, with Dinesh at the >> wheel. I was jumping up and down as though I had taken the winning catch in >> the last cricket match of the season! Dinesh knew that I was not feeling >> well so suggested I got in the back seat and try to sleep. >> >> To get there at the time the receptionist had advised us, Dinesh had to >> `put his foot down' and at times, I saw we were doing 170 kph! After 20 >> minutes driving, we hit a traffic jam and my nerves started to get to me >> again. "Don't worry", Dinesh said, "we'll soon get through this"…and so we >> did and were once again cruising at 170 kph while most of the other vehicles >> on the road were travelling at around 120 kph. Our high speed, my iPhone and >> Dinesh's `SatNav' all played a part in helping us reach Gent in 3 hours. >> >> I had fallen asleep and Dinesh woke me to tell me we had arrived…in the >> city but not the ceremony venue! The `SatNav' had `gone on the blink' so we >> would have to stop and ask someone how we could get to our destination. As I >> was feeling refreshed from my sleep, I told Dinesh that I would go and ask >> someone how we reach our target. It was 8.25p.m. and the interval was at >> 9.00p.m. Then I thought, "why not call the ceremony office?" As luck would >> have it, the same receptionist answered my call and I told her that we were >> in Gent but didn't know how to get to the venue. This `angel' told us that >> we were quite near and gave us the necessary directions. She also said that >> she would send someone to escort us to the building where the ceremony was >> taking place. What a wonderful woman she was!!! >> >> Sure enough, as we were parking the Nissan, someone came up to us and >> escorted us inside. Once inside, he said, "Have a nice evening and hope you >> might be lucky and meet with >> Mr. Rahman". We shook his hand and thanked him for his help and kindness, >> realising that the receptionist had told him all about us! >> Making our way between Porsches, Lamborghinis and other top marque cars, >> we headed for the entrance and asked the security staff – in the politest >> way – where the Reception was. "Could I see your tickets please", the >> security guy asked. Instead of showing him, I told him the entire story >> about our contact with the lady receptionist and our break-neck drive from >> Netherlands. He replied that while he recognised that we were devoted fans >> of A R Rahman, we could not enter without tickets but said that he would >> check with his colleague in Reception. >> >> I told Dinesh that even if we failed to get in, we shouldn't feel too bad, >> as we had tried our hardest for our Guruji. Dinesh agreed with me but said >> that we should not lose faith. I agreed. >> >> The security guard returned and said, "You guys are really lucky as they >> have had two cancellations". Dinesh and I could hardly believe what the guy >> was telling us. Wow…could it really be happening? He opened the door and >> took us through to Reception, where I noticed the clock showed 8.50p.m. – 10 >> minutes to the interval! Then I heard a voice asking, "Are you the two guys >> who `phoned me from the Netherlands?" It was our `guardian angel' and we >> told her, "Yes, we are the guys" and thanked her for all her help and >> kindness. She laughed and told us how lucky we were, handing us the two >> tickets. The security guard showed us to a waiting area and told us that in >> a few minutes, the place would be full of famous people. >> >> I told Dinesh how grateful I was to him for getting us here. "Yeah, yeah", >> he said, "But now, we have to ask someone where our `hero' is, in this vast >> place". Big screens were showing live telecast but it was already 9.00p.m. >> and people were quietly making their way to the waiting area – where we were >> waiting! >> >> I recognised some of the programme organisers, and I approached one of >> them and said, "Hello sir, we have come from the Netherlands and would like >> to see Mr. A R Rahman". "Hmm", he replied, "You have missed the first part >> of the programme when `A R' received the award for Best Song of the Year". >> "We just need to know where we can see him, even from a distance", I >> replied. The programme organiser told us that at that moment, `A R' and >> other VIPs were having their photographs taken but that he couldn't let us >> into the VIP area. However, he showed us the entrance where the second part >> of the ceremony would take place and said we would definitely meet `A R' if >> he decided to stay for the second session. >> >> I switched on my iPhone, keeping my eyes on the people coming out of the >> VIP lounge with only one hope in my heart…that our Guruji would come through >> that door! As I stood there, my nerves were once again at breaking point – >> like a student waiting for his exam results. It was 9.40p.m. and the second >> part of the ceremony would be starting in just another 20 minutes. >> >> After a few minutes, I saw someone in a blue coat and I called to Dinesh >> to look. >> Yeahhhhhh it was the man himself… >> >> …the golden moment in my life >> …the moment I had waited 13 years for >> …the only humble face I had wanted to see in my whole life >> …the Mozart of Asia >> …the music miracle >> …The One and Only A R Rahman >> >> Yes, he was coming to the entrance for the second part of the ceremony. He >> is just 15 metres away from us. I said to Dinesh, "Oh man, I can't believe >> this" – my whole body was shaking! >> As his eyes met ours, I greeted him in the traditional Tamil way by >> saying, "Vanakkam Sir", shaking his hand with one of my trembling ones, my >> other hand over my heart. Although overcome by my feelings at meeting my >> hero, I was strongly aware of how much I missed my sister, in India. >> When we looked at each other and I took in his humble face, I felt that I >> was on another planet or, maybe even in Heaven! >> >> I knew that Guruji had little time, as he had to return to the concert >> hall for the 2nd part of the show, but I asked him, "Sir, is it possible for >> me to have a photo taken with you?" Without a second thought, and in his >> typically humble way, he said, "Ya, sure". >> Although I was thinking that a photo of me with my Guru would provide >> enough pleasure for the rest of my life, I still couldn't stop thinking >> about my sister. I am the only one who knows how much she adores Guru Ji and >> how much she would have loved to be with me at that time. Still, I thought, >> "one day, she too will meet our hero." >> >> Dinesh and I posed with the great man, while our photos were taken. >> Photos, which undoubtedly, will be the most memorable in my life! Then we >> had to bid our hero "goodbye" as the ceremony organisers and security staff >> was waiting to escort him back to the concert hall for the second session. >> >> After this `golden moment' many other unexpected things happened but not >> as important as when I met our dearest Guruji. >> >> P.S. >> Dear Rahmaniacs, I know all of you dream of the day when you will meet our >> dearest Guruji. >> >> After waking up each day, I used to wonder if this would be the day that I >> would see my hero, and that thought always gave me an indescribably good >> feeling. >> >> Finally I met him! >> >> So my advice to everyone is, "Stay confident and Keep The Faith…one day, >> you will all meet him!" >> >> > > > -- > regards, > Vithur > > > > > -- Farshad N Mob: 055-2660114 email:[email protected] <email%[email protected]>
