2nd time LUCKYY

emil, me , arr and swapna chechi

This is a really late post. Late by one week, to be precise. Been busy this past week. So here I am, trying hard to describe a moment which is too big to be described in words. 1st time , it was sweet. and the 2nd time around it was sweeter. 1st time, i got to him thru the crowd, shook hands, got autograph and even asked a few questions. But, now it was up close and personal and there was no crowd to obstruct me. Yes, am talking about my 2nd meeting with my idol... the music maestro A.R.Rahman.

This time also, the 1st person I've to thank is Swapna Chechi who alongwith Bharat called me to reach for the meeting urgently. It all happened last monday afternoon. Rahman was in the city to receive the swaralaya award. Chechi had told me the day before that we may get a chance to meet him personally. So I was really hopeful and waited for her call right from the morning. And i bunked the morning classes and hung around at the campus so that I could rush out once I get the call. Then went to my friend Raja's house nearby college. And thus the much awaited phone call came at 12 40. Bharat was at the other end. He told me to rush to Hotel Leela Palace, Kovalam. They were waiting there. And there was specific instructions from chechi not to take anyone with me. As soon as I hung up the call, I began running with my bike keys and my friend was calling from behind to take him with me. But I cudn't do that. So, here I was, on top of my bike , ready for another 100kmph drive. As I sped along the highway leading to kovalam, I was tossing various questions in my mind to ask ARR, when I meet him. I reached there in record time, even surprising the guys who called me some minutes before.

My heartbeat increased as I crossed the gates of the hotel. And then a villian came in the form of the security man, who stopped me. He asked me what i was doing there. Probably, my shabby jeans and T shirt looked out of place among the executive looking guys arriving there. I said I came to meet ARR sir and that one of my friends got an appointment. He dint believe me and called up the hotel reception to confirm and then he half heartedly let me in. There they were, Swapna Chechi, Bharat, Arun Chettan and Emil, waiting 4 me. It was Arun Chettan who fixed up the meeting. Arun chettan and bharat were wearing ARR T shirts, designed by Bharat. I was really sad to see that because i couldn't wear my over sized t shirts. Its all because Bharat miscalculated my shirt size...he hee....It was chechi's birthday. So i wished her happy birthday. Then someone came and told arun chettan that ARR's been waiting 4 us. I was really shocked to hear this. My god, ARR waiting 4 some unknown fans. I was really amazed at this man's humility.

We walked on to the lobby. There he was sitting alone in a table, wearing a white kurta. You could mistake him for just another normal man, because he had no celebrity airs or bodyguards by his side. You would never think that this is a man who has conquered the world with his magical music. We all walked to his table and Arun chettan told him that we are all from arrfans yahoogroups. His face lighted up to hear that we are from his official fan group. Then he asked our names. When Bharat said that he's from Chennai, ARR asked whether he came such a long distance just to meeet him..he hee... Arun chettan told him that more of the fans are pouring in. ARR looked really tired and he told us that he was getting ready to sleep and would wake up only at 5pm, in time 4 the award function. We all told him that it was a dream come true for us to meet him in person. He smiled. He got up to go to his room. We were all awe struck by his presence that we dint even think of taking a snap until then. Then we asked him whether we can take snaps with him.He happily obliged.Arun chettan took one in his digicam and then one for me in my mobile cam. Then ARR left after bidding goodbye to us. Thats when Bharat thought about the portrait that he drew of ARR. So we put it in a frame and send it to his room with a note.

I was still in a state of wonder and awe that i could barely speak. I can't put it down on words here beacuse all my words were used up the 1st time around when i posted a blog on meeting him. But meeting in a crowd and meeting in such a quiet place is different. You can sense the presence of something divine when u r near him. The magic he radiates is really awesome. And coupled with that, his down to earth behaviour makes u feel at home. So with the un explainable happiness of meeting ARR for the 2nd time in life, I walked back along with all of them. I was still shaking my head as I sped back to my college in my bike. As soon I got back to college, I dint waste anytime in showing my pic to all of my friends. I was beaming with pride as my friends kept on asking whether the snap was for real or was it one of my morphed creations.

Then in the evening me and my friends went to the Swaralaya award function. ARR was accompanied by his mother. The loudest cheers of the evening where reserved for ARR, even when the venue was studded with celebrities from the music world. He received the Swaralaya award from K.J.Yesudas, after whom the award is named. Rahman sang a few lines of the song 'Tere Bina' from Guru. Then some young singers sang 'Chinna chinna asai' and 'veerapandi kottayile' with ARR watching them closely on the stage. It was a great performance. Then we witnessed a host of big singers singing ARR songs- Chitra, sujatha, srinivas, sadhna sargam, unni krishnan, unnimenon, naresh Iyer etc. Another notable performance was from a It was really a musical treat. Then while returning back, I had the good fortune of meeting Sadhna Sargam backstage. Got autograph and posed 4 a pic with her. But unluckily 4 me, my frend accidently took it as a video of bad clarity. But still I was happy for this special day when I had the good fortune of watching so many musical heavy weights. This is a day for me to remember forever in life. Thanks a million to swapna chechi, arun chettan and bharat 4 making this meeting possible.

with love,
diehard Rahmaniac...your crusader praveen