Music Sense !

This is a real incident from my life. I had earlier posted it on Facebook as a note. Since notes on Facebook are prone to get lost, I am securing this on my blog. If anyone finds this offensive, this is not meant to be so. I apologize to the characters if they happen to read this and recognize themselves here. Only the fun element has to be imbibed from this. No malice intended !

Early 90s, Medical College Bellary. The boys and girls were preparing for the college day celebrations. We used to spend most of our free time in the room given to us behind the Microbiology department. We had a talented Violinist named Anil. He was practicing hard for the upcoming event.

I was waiting for my turn to rehearse my song with the Orchestra. At that moment one of our senior boys who was part of the organizing committee came calling to make sure everything was going smoothly. Looking at Anil concentrating on his violin, our man asked him some questions. I was witness to the entire conversation.

The original Kannada exchange was hilarious beyond words. Hope the fun is not completely lost in translation. We will call the senior GS for convenience. Here we go with the dialogue.

GS: Hello Anil, great, how is everything going ? Your guitar is superb...
Anil [looking upset]: Hey, this is not guitar...
GS: Oho, so this is Piteelu, right ? [Probably, he meant Fiddle, a colloquial form of violin]
Anil: No man...
GS: Right right, Tambourine, I know, I know...
Anil [looking frustrated]: This is NOT Tambourine...
GS [Not ready to give up]: So this must be Mandolin...
Anil: [Exasperated]: Hey GS, this isn't any Mandolin or Gindolin...
GS [Nonchalantly]: Ho, what is there man, some instrument with strings. It can be 'Rudra Veena' also...

I wasn't able to control my giggles by now. GS saw that and asked, "Hey Shenoy, what are you going to do ?". I said, "I will be singing 'Chupaana Bhi Nahin aata' from Baazigar". GS gave me a free advice, "That is a bore song. You sing 'Kaali Kaali Aankhen oooo oooo oooo' instead". I nodded saying, "Well, let me try..."

GS turned to Anil and said, "Well you can give music for that song with your 'Sarangi' and we will rock the function". Anil was by now completely demoralized and said, "See GS, this is not any Sarangi or Firangi, why can't you let me tell you the name of this ?"

GS left with a parting shot, "Hey come on man, what difference will it make even if it is a Tabla ? Haven't you heard William Wordsworth saying 'what is there in a name' ? Finally it is a music instrument that makes a lot of noise. I have that much music sense. Now excuse me and I have a thousand things to do. You carry on with your Bongo"


Dr. Punned-it