Just Another Day

Agatha83 · Feb 28, 2016

As the milk on the stove was about to boil and spill over, the shrill sounds of the calling bell as well as the constant rings of the phone startled me, with my mom adding more to the confusion by calling me from her room. For a moment my brain refused to work, and froze like my computer screen. Within seconds I gathered up the scattered bits of my non working neurons and switched off the gas. Hopped on to pick up the cordless, switched it to the hold on mode and ran to open the door, irritated by the non stop rings of the calling bell.

It was the watchman of our flat standing with his sheepish smile along with the circular issued by the flat association with the information that there wouldn't be any water supply till night as the motor had broke down. With worrying thoughts about making arrangements for storing water for the entire day I lifted the cordless phone and said hullo.

I found the cordless phone lifeless without power, due to a sudden power cut. By the time I took on the landline phone, there was considerable delay due to things which were beyond my control. The moment I said hullo, the person on the other end was fuming with anger and poured out some of it, using extremely harsh words. I couldn't antagonise him for he was a Government Servant doing his duty and there was no time for me to explain my dilemma. I apologised profusely for the delay to the postmaster who was calling us from his office to crosscheck our credentials before offering us the postal address proof card.Before I could heave a sigh of relief, I could hear my mom calling me, a call which I had completely forgotten in the ensuing happenings.

When I entered her room, it was reeking with the strong odour of urine. One look at the patient Attender, who was there to take care of my mother, I saw her snoozing comfortably sitting on the chair with her earphones on, listening to music. No wonder she couldn't hear my moms cries for help.

My mother being bedridden due to a spinal disorder required constant attention for her daily ablutions and sustenance. The catheter had come off and the room smelt like an uncleaned urinal. Pulling up the Attender for her careless attitude, I got her to clean up the sheets, and put on a new catheter, change my moms dress which was soiled to the core and a after liberal application of talcum powder all over her body, finally sprayed the room with a deodorant. I could see a bright smile on my moms face which eased out some of those tense moments. Such incidences were recurring events in my daily routine as a result of which I lost both my physical and mental health.

Unable to move out for long intervals due to the constant attention required by my mother, I started relaxing listening to music, mostly Carnatic music for which I cultivated an interest at the age of 50.

Music was one thing which restored my mental balance back to normalcy. I had a huge collection of Carnatic instrumental music of stalwarts from the likes of Lalgudi, Flute Ramani to Veena Mysore Duraiswamy Iyengar,Mandolin Srinivas etc. I switched on the computer in my room and the room filled in with the sweet strains of mandolin played by U.Srinivas..He was playing a soothing Neelambari which sure would have put even the noisy cawing crows to sleep.

As I was immersed in his soulful music, a cursory look in to the calendar showed the date as 28 February! The day Goddeess Saraswathi blessed us by gifting this young genius to be born amidst us. The very thought that he was not alive anymore brought a lump in my throat. If there was one person who could present a raga in all its grandeur it was Srinivas and his mandolin. When kids of six years age would be learning to sing nursery rhymes this young boy would be strumming up his dad's mandolin, presenting some awesome music which left many people wondering both about his genius as well as the the mysterious Mandolin which was considered a sole western music instrument, totally unfit for playing Carnatic music.

Three years back when my daughter offered me a choice for attending a concert between Srinivas and Sanjay, the same day but different venues, my choice was Srinivas. I never regretted that choice made on December 21st till now, because I never knew that it would be his last concert at Music Academy academy where I would see him perform live. Be it a Kannada, Begada,Shanmughapriya his music strung our hearts and we were mesmerised by the sheer brilliance his fingers could play on those five strings bringing out the subtle nuances of any raga. When he played a complicated string of Swaras at Concorde speed with his accompanists struggling hard to keep up with him, it was the mischievous twinkle in his eyes which won all round applause for his absolute mastery over the instrument.

There were just a very few moments, I could catch up in my daily course of life to relax and ultimately it was the melodies that flew out from the simple small mandolin which gave me respite from my daily struggles, anger,confusion,desperation offering me a sense of peace,comfort, pulling me out of the frustration, stemmed out, from the horrors of looking at the constant struggles my mom underwent daily.

I murmur a silent prayer for both one who is gone forever and the other struggling to live a life of decency. I get another call from my mom and I know it is time for lunch. I begin yet another chore of preparing lunch for her- mashing up cooked rice, vegetables, dal, curd, barley water, and as I go about my work mechanically my heart cries in pain when I listen to the gentle, soul stirring karaharapriya by mandolin Srinivas.. This is just another day!His birthday!

Srama · Feb 28, 2016

Dear Agatha,

What an awesome tribute to U. Srinivas. Growing up if I had heard the term child prodigy, it was introduced to me as family spoke about this child who was just a few years older to me performing like this. It was not in comparison but only to bring into perspective how young he was! Oh anyone who knows me knows Music and I are compatible as long as I just shut up and listen

Enjoyed reading your write up. Most of us have days with different challenges and as long as we have something that gives us respite, we are fortunate enough. Incidentally as I type, I am listening to music on radio and enjoying a lovely day.

vaidehi71 · Feb 29, 2016

Agatha Mam,

What a wonderful tribute to Mandolin Srinivas with your very nice narration.

When I started reading it never thought it would end in this way. You have a very nice way of bringing the characters to life and in a humourous way in the beginning. Never ever anticipated the core of this snippet. Infact I was irritated a bit in personal life due to some issues but the moment I finished reading your snippet, my irritation seems to have gone away. I am now thinking about the soul that has left early from this world.

Very well said and thanks a lot for the snippet.
Vaidehi.

Akanksha1982 · Feb 29, 2016

Agatha mam, thanks for the wonderful snippet. What a surprising ending. Loved it.

Viswamitra · Feb 29, 2016

Dear Agatha,

When the daily chorus is so taxing, how you calm your mind is certainly very heartening to know. I not only see the tribute to that wonderful little maestro in your snippet but also see a devoted daughter, responsible householder and a committed woman who knows how to perfect her life by altering her mind instead of getting overwhelmed by the pressures of mundane routines.

Your narration of an otherwise normal day with a title, "Just another day" is after all extraordinary to me as it taught me something important. I can see the bricks being laid systematically through your patience, perseverance and performance to build a stunning character development. That thought made me realize there is no age limit to enhance our character. I am richer today by reading your wonderful narration of your Just Another Day and learning about an invaluable being behind those actions. My best wishes to your ailing mother and I can easily relate it because my mother is exactly in the same situation but far away from where I live.

Srinivas is an excellent being born with an extraordinary talent. It looks like the Universal Absolute is as possessive as us in longing for that divine music to take him away to play his magical instrument in His divine court.

Viswa

shyamala1234 · Feb 29, 2016

Dear Agatha,
In spite of all the responsibilities and chores that we must do and umptenn number of other chores we always find something to soothe, take care of our mental clutter and Music is definitely one of them. I like Mandolin Srinivas a lot.......and feel very sad for him at the same time. He was a child prodigy and his life ended in such a sad tone!
Syamala

jayasala42 · Feb 29, 2016

DearAgatha,
There cannot be a better tribute to Srinivas and music which gives lot of relief amidst hard chores.I am proud of you being a responsible daughter attending to Amma's needs.
I am reminded of my mother who was laid down with paralytic stroke for 9 long years in our village home.
In those days we had neither facility nor financial resources to appoint full time nurses.One of my sisters, forsaken by her husband had to live along with her children in my parents' house and look after Amma also. She was busy from 5 A. M. to 11 P. M.All other daughters, inclusive of myself just visited our friends for a week or 10 days and give some rest and relaxation to my sister.
That sister used to sing very well and enjoyed listening to music thro radio as she was busy attending to household.
But my mother,well versed in music,who used to compose so many songs in her early days, who had been
frustrated and depressed due to her dependency and she would just get irritated on listening to any music.In addition she would complain against my sister to every one who visited her once a blue moon and the visitors just parted with unsolicited advices to my sister who was already burdened.It was a daily routine-my sister switching on radio to listen to M. S, or DKP and my mother shouting back'break and throw away that wretched radio'which makes you neglect me.( antha sanyanai thooki aduppile podu)
Definitely it is a tuff time to both the patient and the attenders.Whenever the attender is ill or down with some personal worries, it was a stormy session.
We can never forget the day when my father passed away.My mother was totally out of sink, she could not understand the crisis ,nor could we make her understand.She started fuming at me for nor bringing 'thirattu pal' for my toothless father as I used to always bring.She could not realise that my father was no more however much we tried to tell her. After two long months she called for me and I just took a week's leave.She asked me whether I have brought 'padusha' for my father who was stated to sleeping in the pyol.I slowly made her realise that Appa was no more.
She threw everything angrily at me and shouted that knowingly I didn't inform her of my father's death." We gave you so much of education and made you earn a lot.This made you a lot haughty and enabled you to hide an important sorrowful event from your own mother.Get away from this place."She just cried and cried and drove me out.It appeared as if it was the day of death.Four days I was there, calmed her down and then came to Chennai.

Nine long years passed as just another day for my beloved sister who was so dutiful and patient-without any consolation or relaxation.All neighbours blamed my sister only.They could not realise the difficulties of dealing with a patient continuously , tolerating the smell of urine and faeces in those days when diapers were not there.
They complained" Is it listening to music more important than mother's emotions?"

Situations are strange. Music is within reach. ears are open.Mind is alert.Yet one can never utilise the stress reliever .kaiku ettinathu vaaikku ettavillai.
Sorry, I have bored with a long response.

Jayasala 42

Agatha83 · Feb 29, 2016

Dear Rama,

Thank you very much for your very warm feedback . Being A hardcore fan of this genius I am yet to come terms with his sudden death at a very young age.
When we are young we can stand up to any amount of challenges, but after 60 our entire body functions slow down and we yearn for some relaxation. When patience takes a back seat, when the mind is in turmoil, music is the last resort where we get some respite from the messy situations.

Agatha83 · Feb 29, 2016

Dear Vaidehi,

I could have simply paid a tribute to Srinivas by writing a few things about his music but that would have been another Wikepedia. It was the personal connection I had with him through music that I wanted to highlight through this snippet. The personal issues at home have taken a heavy toll on my health, and just wanted to show others the ways of dealing such situations. Simply love your honest opinion and a positive feedback.

satchitananda · Feb 29, 2016

What is it with prodigies that they die young? The list is so long ..... Ramanujam, Mozart, Schubert, Schumann, Mandolin Srinivasan ..... may be God and the angels want to enjoy their music in heaven. They have lent these people to us for a while and then taken them back.

You are collecting your stock of good karma, Agatha, looking after your mom at home. It still hurts me immensely that I could not and missed seeing her by an hour.

Am glad you are able to find comfort in listening to music. Beautiful write up!