Sunday, April 27, 2014

The Excitable Little China Doll.

"एक चतुर नार कर के सिंगर 
मेरे मन के द्वार ये घुसत जात 
हम मारत जात, अरे हे हे हे 
यक चतुर नारकर के सिंगर... "


1968, Saira Banu gave us something to appreciate. An epitome of charm and grace. 
Yes, Bindu won many hearts in the Hindi movie "Padosan".
The moody, competitive, winner-of-hearts was our selection for the Annual Day, to pay tribute to the people who so gallantly appeared on stage and gave us the best time of our lives.  Now to choose the people who would act it out.

I'm not a huge fan of Annual Day. The last time I participated, I ended up losing my spectacles, my mom's favorite dupatta and my skirt ! (Who does that?) So yes, this time I wasn't exactly the most eager participant.
But the fun gradually lured me in, and in a matter of few days, me, Ms. Anti Annual Day, was sitting in the hall, waiting for the next act to begin. You must have guessed. It was this very song from Padosan, and I was to see the cast for the very first time.


A very melodious, classic "ta ta din ta " begun the song after a  hour of tummy-aching comedy.  The source was a senior boy playing the lead on the harmonium, with my best friend, Trina, beside him, playing Bindu.


I watched in astonishment as singer began to gesticulate the notes of the song, and both Trina's and his feet began to rise up and down in perfect unison. 
She was amazing at doing this shoulder thing, as in, she moved her shoulder blades left and right while stretching her back bone upwards with a dazzling smile. As some of my friends stated correctly, the attitude and grace came naturally to her.


Then the song started. The hall, usually jam packed and noisy, and least sensitive to the people performing, was unusually quiet. Trina leaped lightly around the whole stage, as if made up of air, while the boy with the harmonium followed her doing classic kathak steps. 
The song itself commanded attention and celebration, and the actors were doing the most wonderful job of nailing it.



Then the last, hyper beat came, and the two opponents came to fight each other. Amidst the angry "hmm! hmm!" Trina moved in between the two, flailing her arms wildly and sending them toppling backward. Then with two more graceful leaps and a smile, she finished with a flourish and looked up. The hall was dead quiet for one magical moment, before it boomed with spontaneous applause. 
I still remember her jumping high in the air shouting "Woo Hoo!", as people couldn't stop clapping for her. The spell bounding, astonishing part was, that we had this dance a billion times after that, and she evoked the same reaction every
time.

I mainly wrote this for her to let her know how much people think of her and her talents.
She had always been hyperactive and jumpy and chirpy. She had always laughed the loudest at my jokes, and when we walked beside each other on the street, we were stopped every time, and asked " Are you both sisters?". The warmest question I have ever received.
When she asked for her biography, I was stumped. I didn't know what title would I give her. And these aren't even proper biographies. Then I remembered a china doll my grandma used to own, probably still does. It was pure white, with a perfect, graceful figure and the happiest expression, holding her heart on one hand. I had a tendency of dropping it every time. And along with the heart, it used to shatter into two pieces. 


Grandma used to come with a tube of Fevicol and glue the pieces back together again. The china doll used to stay in the show case, brand new again, happy again. 
Trina is exactly like that. She is a tiny little beautiful thing, who is very sensitive and breakable. People hurt her uncountable times, and she shatters into so many pieces. Eventually someone comes along, with a warm smile and kind emotions, and glues her back together with her own tears and theirs, but if you just look closely enough, you'll see the fine cracks on her, which'll probably always be there.


But you know what makes her such a great person? She'll always smile. She'll occasionally make the cracks visible, but she'll always be cheerful.


And her heart, will always be out, in her hand, to give out to those who need her. 

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