Wonderful evening !!!!!!

    Evening OF February 23^rd 2013 is etched in my memory …it was purely magical, just that I didn’t happen to see the magic but heard the magic. I always wanted to go for a Raja sir concert but with him doing few concerts and myself being outside India was always speculating when would that day come. I was very excited when I came to know that Raja sir concert is going to happen in New Jersey.  The trip to New Jersey was fun to start with and then came another sweet surprise - I didn’t realize that my ticket would fetch me so closer to the stage. Before you see a good movie on your way to theatre if you face traffic jam it is both good and bad; it is bad because you are aggravated and good because it automatically mellow down the mood to some extent. Same thing happened – the so called MCs tried their best but I was patiently waiting for the man to appear on stage. Lot many times our money is wasted in front of our own eyes but that day I felt happy that I am spending on something I am going to cherish.

     Clock ticked slowly and boom audience saw the man coming onto the stage in white dhothi in a typical Tamizhan style.  He didn’t allow any of us to take a breather ….he came …he started ..he mesmerized. Orchestration was mind blowing; the sound comes from instruments and he has written the notes and passed on to the musicians. Its not just the instruments ..it is also the number of people who bring the sound ….none of us had any clue when he said there are small mistakes happening and boy he made the musicians play all over again on few occasions. This is called perfectionist ….one who is pretty clean will feel perturbed even if they see a mustard seed in a dining table …same was this man ….

   The good thing I liked about the concert was that he went with the plan …though audience was demanding more telugu songs he went ahead with what was prepared. When we go to basement we tend to be in party mood and we step into pooja room we tend to catch onto the atmosphere. Same was the case …in Ilayaraja concert we are supposed to enjoy the music and show our appreciation by clapping our hands. He doesn’t like whistling and bustling and audience listened to his words.  When the clock was slowly inching towards its maximum number still he did not play the fast peppy numbers instead had a village folk song. Man ..this is called playing to your strength….

  Considering the number of Musicians and the logistics involved I am not sure about the profit margin. But money is just a legal paper …no one can take the memory of a wonderful evening provided by Raja sir.  On a personal front with so much of stress it wouldn’t have come at a better time. I relished, enjoyed every bit of concert. I wish him good health and lot of happiness and wish he continues to enthrall his fans with his soul touching music.