ನೆನಪು
ದೂರ ದೂರ...
ಹಾರೋಣ ಬಾ.. ಹಾರೋಣ ಬಾ
On April 11, 2024, at Beugal Park, a lady delivered a captivating rendition of a song, earning widespread appreciation for her talent, enthusiasm, and energy. I, too, was impressed by the song and her performance, despite being unfamiliar with the tune. It surprisingly evoked memories of a song from the Kannada film 'Chinnari Mutta'.
ರೆಕ್ಕೆ ಇದ್ದರೆ ಸಾಕೆ ?...
ಹಕ್ಕಿಗೆ ಬೇಕು ಬಾನು ಬಯಲಲಿ ತೇಲುತ ತಾನು ಮ್ಯಾಲೆ ಹಾರೋಕೆ..
Here, I'm not comparing or discussing the two songs, but rather sharing a personal memory that resurfaced. While we may forget many details from our childhood, certain incidents remain etched in our memory. One such incident from my past is particularly noteworthy, and I'd like to share it below.
I vividly remember being directly admitted to the 2nd standard at Vanita Sadana Primary School in Krishnamurthy Puram, Mysore, thanks to my father. Shortly after, a new family moved in next door, and to my surprise, it was Kalpana, my classmate. As the youngest child, I was always by my mother's side, accompanying her wherever she went. My mother quickly befriended Kalpana's mother, and I became fascinated with the guava tree in their backyard, laden with sweet fruits. While my mom chatted with Kalpana's mom, I would slyly glance at the tree. Kalpana's mom, noticing my interest, kindly offered me some fruit. Upon learning that Kalpana and I were classmates, she would occasionally send Kalpana to our home to play with me.
As time passed, we progressed to the 3rd standard. Meanwhile, our neighbors relocated to a new home opposite the Jayanagar Post Office, just 300 meters away. However, my mother never visited their new home, and consequently, neither did I. Around that time, the boys in our class began to socialize exclusively with other boys, and interacting with girls, either in class or outside, was deemed unacceptable. When we reached the 6th standard, our teacher, Rajalakshmi, introduced a mixed seating arrangement, pairing boys with girls. Kalpana ended up sitting beside me, but despite the proximity, we didn't exchange a word that entire year or the next. The divide between boys and girls remained, with little to no interaction between us.
Now, in April 2024, I've come to know that Kalpana had moved to Andhra Pradesh for her high school education. However, she returned to Mysore and joined the same college where I pursued my Pre-University education, albeit in a different stream - she was in Science, while I was in Commerce. Interestingly, I was unaware that she was studying in the same college as me.
Years went by, and in 1983, I was in Mumbai when the renowned "Benaka" theater team, led by Kannada film actor Sunderraj, performed the play "Jokuraswamy" at the Karnataka Sangh Auditorium in Mahim, Matunga West. After the play, Sunderraj introduced the cast, and when he mentioned Kalpana's name, he praised her with three words (ನಮ್ಮ ತಂಡದ ಮೆರಗು). As soon as I heard her name, I recalled my classmate Kalpana and rushed to the greenroom to confirm if it was indeed the same person. Unfortunately, I couldn't meet her due to the massive crowd of Mumbaikar Kannadigas gathered near the greenroom, all eager to meet the actors.
Years went by, and I decided to meet some friends at Beugal Park in Basavanagudi, Bangalore. Yesterday, April 11, 2024, I met a lady who introduced herself as Kalpana, associated with the 'Benaka' drama troupe. After five and a half decades, I was taken aback, and my mind flooded with memories of my primary school days. I waited patiently for the formalities to conclude. As Kalpana prepared to leave for rehearsals, I mustered up the courage to approach her, albeit with little hope, and asked about her schooling.
Ohh! she is the same Kalpana, very active and enthusiastic. May God keep her like this always for as many more years to come.
