An Enchanting Sunday: Playing Saxophone at a Wedding
It was a beautiful Sunday. I woke up at 5 am, realizing that I needed to do something different from my usual weekday routine of working from 9 to 6. I was going to play saxophone at a wedding with accompanying instrumentalists, Pakkavadyas. I was excited, as usual, but my tired eyes were asking for more sleep. I thought I would take a nap for 15 minutes and slept on the sofa. There’s a different happiness when you wake up early in the morning and go for a walk, but when you stretch your legs and sleep again, and slowly fall back asleep, that feeling is heavenly. It can’t be compared to any other happiness. So I slept, and when I woke up, it was 7 am. I was supposed to reach the venue at 7 am. I quickly called my Guru, who happens to be my own uncle, and checked with him for the venue and timings, hiding the fact that I had just woken up. He asked me to be there at the venue at 7.30 am. Thirty minutes were enough for me to save myself from getting embarrassed for being late. I quickly took a bath and did Pooja. I informed my loving wife not to prepare breakfast as it would be provided at the wedding. I wore my kurta and pyjama. My wife asked me to wear glasses as I had sore eyes. In Mangalore, where I live, when someone sees you with sore eyes, they will avoid eye contact, fearing the spread of the virus. So I thought I would have a filter in between with my spectacles just to give them a safe feeling. I took my saxophone, started my car. Both my kids were cleaning my car using a recently purchased brush. My wife was plucking two flowers to keep them at the tiny idols of Lord Ganesha I have inside my car. I waited for her to put those flowers at the feet of Lord Ganesha and started driving. I said bye to my sweet kids and wife.
I reached the venue at sharp 7.35 am, but I was the first to arrive at the wedding hall. Literally, no one was there. Later, my fellow saxophonist and senior instrumentalist named Ravi arrived, followed by other instrumentalists. By then, the crowd started gathering for the wedding in the grand AC hall. Ravi Anna started with EvvariBodha varnam, followed by Vinayaka in Hamsadhwani. I played Samajavaragamana and Kamalaptakula in Brindavana Saranga. We all enjoyed the concert and had a wonderful time. Folks who were sitting in front of us were nodding their heads to acknowledge our music. They were enjoying every keerthana we played. It was instant feedback, unlike in other professions where we rarely get recognized for our work. They were looking at us with respect and a proud feeling. That experience was really amazing and motivated us to play more songs with more interest.
Someone from the organizing department came to us and asked us to have breakfast. We took a pause and had breakfast. I was so occupied with the response we got from the audience that I could hardly focus on breakfast, even though I am a big fan of Idly Sambar. I was literally wanted to go back and start playing again. For the other instrumentalists, it was a usual program and nothing new. So they were taking their own time and busy having breakfast. Finally, after 30 mins, we came back and started playing again. One of the audiences asked for Lord Ayyappa’s song. Ravi Anna soothingly played Lord Ayyappa’s song. And the list went on. We together played many more Keerthanas. At 12 pm, I informed Ravi Anna that I needed to leave now as I had to attend my colleague’s wedding in Kateel and left. It was a wonderful experience, and I was really happy when I stepped out of that hall.
Thinking about practicing more on my saxophone, I started driving back home to change my traditional costume that I was wearing. I said hi to my kids and wife and asked my wife for help to get my T-shirt and jeans, and within a couple of minutes, I was back in my car driving towards Kateel.