I do wonder
every now and then, if my life would be any different, had I known this young man
personally.
I do not know Arjun,
I have not spoken to him, yet; I have this insatiable wish that I did. Arjun
was not just another kid in the block, who went to school, played the guitar
and had a bunch of friends. He was all that and more. Arjun – a kid, a brother,
a musician, a friend, a son and a great guy!!
Ever felt the after-taste
of a tea that lingers hours after drinking a cup? To me, Arjun is that sweet
after-taste that has been lingering in my mind years after his passing. He is
this distant actuality that persuades me to love and live this life in a
certain way – the Arjun way! We can all but hope to be loved and respected by
people around us. But this guy, simply by being himself, has managed to win
over thousands of friends / fans / followers who confide in him, swear by him
and more than anything; BE THERE FOR HIM!
I, in this lifetime,
could not reach half as far as he has even with twice as much effort.
A humble but
confident young man who taught himself to play the guitar and transcended into
becoming this amazing guitarist / musician has stolen many hearts and inspired
many more. Be it the Blues of Clapton, or solos of Petrucci; Arjun was
thoroughly MAGICAL. In my opinion, Arjun and his band (ESION then, TWKC now and
forever) were successful in bringing about a paradigm shift in perspectives of
rock music and bands. They were just a group of boys who were extremely
talented and irrepressibly music loving.
His passion for art, dance, theatre and paintings conformed
to the myriad of interests this talented young man had. On 27th of
March 2009, at 19 Arjun passed away in a road accident leaving behind an enormous
vacuum that was profoundly numbing and utterly devastating. I can only imagine
what people he knew, he loved would have felt like. A sense of irreplaceable void
and perpetual turmoil surmounts my mind when I think about the many instances
my path has crossed Arjun’s and how close I was to befriend a magnificent man.
Sigh.
After this dreadful incident, what I have learnt from the
plethora of news articles, blog posts and facebook feeds is that, there aren’t
many people around in this world like Arjun and hence they become very dearer
to our hearts. To keep his energy, his compassion and the man himself ALIVE,
family and friends joined together to have an annual musical event as a tribute
to Arjun and all that he believes in. On the 14th of July, the stage
is set for the fourth consecutive year where we hope to raise funds to sponsor
an ambulance that is manned 24x7 and is available for all emergencies on road.
This apart, through the trust in the name of Arjun, we’ve
been involved in some earnest charitable activities and scholarships for young
students to pursue their dreams in the field of art.
The thought of Arjun, is as close to my heart as the hope of
being by his side and seeing the world the way he sees it. Tranquil. I only
hope I have done justice in my attempt to express my admiration for my little
brother. Walk by his side and experience his companionship albeit
intellectually and hope this lasts for eternity.
Arjun, you are to me, what music was for you.
And in Sharad’s own words - To yesterday's companionship and tomorrow's reunion, Salut!
3 comments:
I wish I had known him too. But in his passing, I see him in so many colours that wouldn't have been possible otherwise. His passion, his love and his family have become part of our lives in an irrepressible way. I honour him for what he has given the world, and am humbled by what he brought into our lives. I know him as an immortal symbol of friendship, passion, kindness and love. Wouldn't have it any other way!
You have spoken beautifully on behalf of a lot of us who wish we had known Him better--thank you.
soulsez have me met?
thanks RabidRambler
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