Time : 10.15am
Date : 07.04.11
ML:Hello, sashi..how are you..?
Me : Hi Ms, i am good. How are you?
ML:Fine..sashi i've bought 2 invitations for the Ramli Ibrahim's Odissi show tomorrow..but i can't make it coz i've no mood in going for the show coz my mom just undergo the by-pass surgery...i m selling the tickets.. you have any friends interested in buying them..or do u wanna go ar..?
Me : oh really..hmm ok ms...let me ask some of my friends and let u know later...
ML : Ok but let me know before 4pm lah..
Me : Ok ms. How is mom rite now..?
ML : Yeah she is fine... still in ICU...
Me : Ok bye ms...take care..
This is how the conversation starts for the whole story that I'm going to tell you all here. I like Ms Letchumy a lot, she is very nice and helpful person. (ehem..ehem i know you are reading this ms letchumy). So I wanted to help her in selling the invitations for her. I posted in my FB wall. "The Show was Odissi Stirred by Sutra Foundation on 8th April, Venue at KLPAC at 8.30pm. Invitation price - RM 50". I really wanted to go to the show, coz I am big fan of Ramli Ibrahim. I adore him and his performance since I was small. I have never seen his live performances or the Odissi before. So I was thinking to grab the ticket from her so that I can enjoy the show. But something stops me and makes me blur...1st thing I don't know where is KLPAC..coz I've never been to Sentul before. 2nd..I don't have anybody to go with and I don't want be all alone in that place like one DUNGU...:)))))))
Half an hour later I received a call from my friend saying that she is very interested and wanted to go with me. I was so excited so I asked her to confirm back to me. At about afternoon she called and confirmed of her attendance and asked me to buy the tickets. Yesssss....! I jumped here and there...up and down...in happy...:) We planned to meet at Asia Jaya LRT station just after work tomorrow and straight ahead to the venue.
I called Ms Letchumy, and told her that I'll buy the tickets and will be going with my friend. She was so happy and requested me to do not miss the show, coz its the Ramli himself performing on that night which is very rare. At about 9.30pm I met Ms Letchumy at Gandhi's at Brickfield (place where I first met her and became my fav spot too) and bought the tickets from her. When I'm driving back home, all the way I was thinking about the map which I've downloaded from the Google.
Google always helps me in finding the way to the places where I've never been before(here I would like to thank the google.com*with putting my both hand on my chest*). But this time, I am not very sure about the map. When reached home at abt 10pm...I was busy looking for nice punjabi suit to wear for the show tomorrow. When I'm so confused, I planned to call my friend to ask her what she is going to wear tomorrow? I saw a message was received in my inbox few minutes before. I got a real shock and very upset when i clicked the open button to see the sms. "I am sorry shika, I can't make it for the show. my boss gave an assignment, so I have to go out to meet the client. I got trapped". Yes..it was from the friend who is planning to go for the show with me. I was in total mad at her, grrrrrrrr........ her sms made me collapsed. I don't want to talk abt that part..lets forgive and forget...even though I know....err...ok lets forget it.
I quickly called and sms all my close friends to attend the show with me. Oh no..! What a miracle..none of them say yes but gave me a valid reason. Yes that one can be acceptable...I cannot force them at last minute of course. Then after tired calling friends I made up mind to bring my mom for the show. Yes that is the one and only way for not wasting the money and at the same time I can enjoy the show as well. But amma....you too....! She refused to come for the show coz I know she is damn tired after her business hours..and she strictly said that she have to do the Friday prayer at home. Oopps...I cannot argue here...so I zipped off my lips.
The next day, I was still in the hope of searching partner. I chatted with my chat buddies. Nah..no one interested. But one chat friend gave a brilliant idea. He asked me to inform the person who sold the ticket to me. Yeah why didn't I do that..?! I grabbed my hp and sms Ms Letchumy, that my friend can't make it and asked her if she have anybody? (*I also added the criying emoticon..so that Ms Letchumy feel simpathy on me and react fast*) What a miracle, she called me and said that she will try to find someone. Then few minutes later, she called and said that she will be coming with me and she knows the way. WOOOOHOOOOOO....!!!!!:)))) I was so happy. Later, I got to know that she was one of the Odissi student and her master is Ramli. WOW...!!!! Its like I've fallen in the tub of grapes and poured with milk...yesss....! Thanks to god..thanks to Ms Letchumy...who wore a nice black & white cotton saree and jumped in my car like an angel. It was 7.30pm when I picked her up.
We reached the KLPAC at 8.10pm. Its like a University Campus...such big and cool surrounding. The building looks like an overseas building structure. Yeah it was very new to me but I didn't act like "jakun"....hehe:) But I was speechless before entering the theater hall..all the way was decorated by beautiful art works. Awesome...! When entered the theater hall...another surprise..! Our seating was just 6 rows from the stage which is exactly right in the middle. I told Ms Letchumy I'd never thought will be looking his performance at this near. She said she planned and booked the ticket coz she really wish to see his performance at her comfort. So her wish was fulfilled though mine too..;) I looked around..the hall was full. And was quite surprised with the group of audience. I am sure the Indian audiences are countable. The rest are our Malay and Chinese friends and some are foreigners. Why much Indians...? Isn't it Odissi is cultural dance from the state of Orissa, India? Hermmm...there is no boundaries for art..!! Right? :)
The show was started at 8.30pm with a short and sweet speech of Ramli. Follow with the narrator who narrates the story of the Odissi and continued with the awesome performance. The first dance itself had amazed me. The story was about "a sadu gudu game which was played by the gramiam gals and at last the one team was got cheated by the other team". Its like a drama. And they are acting with dance movements and wonderful expressions. So that is Odissi...! Hmmm..I understand now. And the most important thing in the show was lighting. The lights are playing the main role. After few performance there was break for us to get refresh. I and Ms Letchumy was anxiously looking for hot drinks coz its very cold inside and moreover we felt very sleepy with the boring narrator...hehe:)
When the show starts back after the break, we were making jokes and were laughing among ourselves from being get bored by the narrator again..yes again..she comes in between every single performance. The last performance was great too. I totally enjoyed the show very much. The show ended with all the performers beautiful bow.
Ms Letchumi asked me to come with her at the stage area to take photo with Ramli. I laughed and thought... would he..? with me..? Then I smiled and followed her thinking that I might help her taking the photos for her. So did I. As Ms Letchumi gets Ramli's blessing by touching his feet, I was ready with her camera. Then she stands beside him and I clicked. Then he was taken by another 2 gals to snap photo with. Ms Letchumy was chatting with her friend at the crowd. I was holding the camera and looking at them. Yeah, I missed the chance, I thought. Then suddenly Ms Letchumy grabbed the camera and told me, "Sashi go and take photo with him". Oh, thank you Ms Letchumy I was waiting for it, I was telling it in my heart with a broadsmile on my face...hehehe:)
Then here comes the minute that worth a million to me. I went near him, after the 2 gals snap the picture. Its the moment just before he got snatched by a crowd of autograph hunters. He looked at me. I asked "Sir, can I take photo with you..?" He smiled and said, "Sure". He showed his hand asking me to come and stand beside him. He was so humble and down to earth person. I went and stand at his right hand side. He humbly put his hand on my hip. A kind and gentle hug. Wow..I felt the vibration there...was very happy at that moment. No..no..no..I'm not giving you guys a wrong idea of that feelings. Okay let me elaborate it properly. Its like, how do you feel when you go to temples in India, an elephant touch your head (blessed) with its trunk? You will feel blessed and happy right? Its like a big, great thing blessed you with kind. Something like that. Ramli was a great man for me. So I felt it in that way.
After the photo session, I and Ms Letchumy left the hall and walked to the car park. I told her, that I'm going to have a sleepless night tonight. The real sleepless night...! She was laughing with my statement. Then after had a sweet chit chat with hot tea at Danau Kota Kopitiam we left at about 1am.
I slept soundly with my sweet memories that day at 3am.
This part of post modified on 2nd June 2011
p/s: Abt my feelings towards Ramli at the time taking photo is much best explained in this way.."the confront hug of Roger Federer for his fan who fell off while taking his photo". You guys should watch this clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTUpE2LXppM