Ultimate Reunion

The Delighted Student

"Hmm..." Mukundo was impressed, but held back on his appreciation. "Too much praise, too early, goes to a young student's head. It is the job of a guru to be critical so long as there is anything to be critical about. That's how he pushes the student towards perfection," Pandit ji, his Guru, had told him. Music and teaching were synonymous with Pandit ji for Mukundo. His words were as good as set in stone for him.

Piyali's nervous and quizzical eye met his. Her eyes were big, the most prominent and alluring feature on her thin, oval face. Her wheatish skin was smooth and had the radiance that betrayed her youth despite the maturity of her singing.

"What do you do?" he asked. She had just sung Raga Marwa for him.

"I am studying. B. Sc. Mathematics. 2nd year."

Eighteen, at most nineteen years old, Mukundo guessed. Her music education till then had been good, as was evident from her performance. And she was still young enough to be coached into becoming better, developing a style. He could take her under his wings.

"You will need a lot more practice."

Her face clouded over. Can't take criticism? Mukundo wondered inwardly. But Gayatri Devi would have been a strict teacher too.

"I will do my best, Mukundo Babu," she replied looking determined. The cloud had passed.

He nodded. "You can come at six in the morning." It was the time he gave to his best students. There were only three others in that group right now. He was placing her there. Piyali's heart leapt at the idea. But she stayed composed on the outside. "We generally practice till nine," he added.

The cloud came back and this time he couldn't ignore it. "What happened? You do realize that learning music is hard work. And I don't like compromises."

"It's not that, Mukundo Babu. Just that at 8.30 I have to..."

"Come at five, then. If you can..." Mukundo threw a challenge her way. It was a good opportunity to test her sincerity. He had expected her to decline. Other students in his morning batch barely managed to come at six. They would still be sleepy when they walked in. If they did come in time, it was only because of his reputation for being strict and turning away the students who reached even a minute late.

She looked at him agape for a moment. Five in the morning! Did he really mean it? Did he wake up by then? He appeared impassive. This was no joke! She took a deep breath and said, "Fine. I will be here at five."

--

"Sonali. Sonali! Guess who is going to teach me from now on?" Piyali showed none of the restraint she had shown before Mukundo, when she met her best friend on the way to college.

"Mukundo Babu accepted you?"

"Yes! And in the morning batch." Sonali knew exactly what that meant. Ever since the possibility of Piyali joining Mukundo Thakur had come up, not a single day had passed when Piyali wouldn't fill her up with all kinds of information about him. Undoubtedly Mukundo Thakur was the most adulated classical singer of his generation in the city, and probably in the entire country. But Piyali's veneration bordered on obsession.

"Congratulations! And how exactly are you going to manage all of it?"

"I managed with Gayatri Ma, didn't I? It was she who spoke to Mukundo Babu's mother about me."

"I know that. But Gayatri Ma has always been extra-ordinarily sweet to you. She adjusted her own time for your sake..."

"I am going there at five in the morning. It won't clash with anything else. Even the first tuition I have to give is at 8.30. I will leave at eight..."

"Five in the morning?" Sonali was incredulous, "How will you reach there?"

"I will. Don't worry."

"And what does Kaki have to say about it?"

Her exultant grin faded into a sad smile. "You know very well. Ma never likes anything I do about music..."

"And still, you do..."

"So, what do you think? I am a bad daughter?"

"Sometimes I do think that way. But then, most of the time I just marvel at you. You do not give up, do you? Classes, housework, tuitions to help run the house... And you still find time for music lessons and practice! I wish I were that obsessed about something."

"I love Ma, Sonali. You know I do. At least you should know that I do. Without her, we would have been on footpaths. But I am my father's daughter too. And music is my life, my soul. I can't give it up."

"Sorry!" Sonali smiled in embarrassment, "I pester you at times. But you have my support. Don't worry."

Piyali smiled back at her. Sonali and she hadbeen friends since childhood. Sonali always questioned her decisions. But at the end of the day, she did have unconditional support from her friend.