Yes, I’d Arrived!

The morning of 31 December, 1991 dawned; my heartbeat had doubled through the night. After having stood in long queues for concert tickets, here I was being invited by one of my Gods. As instructed I reached the concert venue in Vile Parle, a suburb of Mumbai. With trembling feet I walked to the green room looking for Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia. There he was, looking resplendent, attired in the traditional Dhoti-Kurta. The vermillion ‘tilak’ adorning his forehead can be mesmirizing as I was to soon learn! The invite for the concert was handed over to me and I gingerly made my way into the auditorium. Having noticed ‘Row A’ on the card, I wondered if I’d ‘arrived’! Yes, that evening was indeed a message from the heavens, proclaiming my ‘arrival’ as a significant member of the audience!