(A short story)
 I was reading an e-book on my Palm IIIxe when I just dozed off. It must have been about 1.30 in the afternoon. It was a November day in Chennai and the weather was just warming up after an overnight shower. This was supposed to be the N-E Monsoon setting in but we hardly have rain these days. Some say it is the global warming. Others say that the ruling government is not pure enough. Still others say that there are not enough good men living to giving the land the rain it needs.
I do dream a lot. But I always forget in the morning what I dreamt of. Sometimes, when I try really
hard, I manage to remember snatches of the dream that never makes any sense. There was one in which music composer Ilayaraja was bowling a bouncer to Sachin. Somehow, when you were sleeping the plot seemed to unfold. Things were happening continuously and one could follow the story clearly. But when awake, it is always very difficult to remember the train of thought.
This was a very different dream though. I was walking on the banks of a river. There was no water and the sand was like on the Marina Beach. The Pancharatnams had just begun. It must have been the river bank at Tiruvayyaru. An old man was walking towards me. I knew it could only be
Tyagaraja. After all, I sing his songs every day. He walked up to me and I said, "Tyagaraja, I presume?"
He said, "No. Just because this is a dream and you are a Carnatic musician I am not
Tyagaraja!"
I was taken aback. I just murmured quietly, "I'm sorry."
"Don't feel sorry. It is quite normal for Carnatic musicians to hope
to meet Tyagaraja in their dreams."
"So, who are you then," I asked in an impatient tone.
He just smiled and said, "Listen, this is only a dream, so I can just be anyone you want. You thought I was Tyagaraja because you were desperate to meet him. I don't blame you for that. But I will give you another chance. Try someone else."
I just hesitated a moment. This was a dream and he could be anyone. I wanted him to be Tyagaraja but he does not want to be. Or, rather, he says he is not. So, what does this mean. No Tygaraja for me. Fine. So no Tyagaraja. Then can it be
Dikshitar? Syama
Sastri? Maha? Patnam? No. I was not interested in meeting any of them. But then he cannot be someone I want, can he?
"If you are not Tyagaraja, then it really does not matter. I only want to know one thing. Are you a musician," I asked.
"Ok, let us say that I am a musician, a Carnatic musician."
"How old are you," I asked.
"You are making the same mistake again. How does it matter? It is only a dream."
I finally started getting the drift of things. I was meeting a Carnatic musician. He could be anyone.
To be continued...
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Dreaming of Tyagaraja
