Dream Adda

DREAM ADDA

by

MURALI MURTHY

Tanay & Namma Metro

Wearing a crushed shirt and an old faded office bag hung on his shoulders, Tanay Bhat drags himself to office everyday. A grim-faced and a silent Tanay boards a Metro Train daily from Lal bagh to Rajajinagar.

He stays in a 3 storied building with 10 single bedroom houses rented to bachelors, in Mavalli.

He walks down slowly with his head down, to Lal Bagh Metro station and with crowd during the peak time he is pushed into the train. He gets down at Rajajinagar to reach the Insurance office he works for.
Evening 6.30 PM he again takes the Metro and reaches Lal Bagh.
He repeats the announcement and gets down at the station "The train will now arrive in Lal Bagh and the doors will open to your left. Please mind the doors while deboarding".
He reaches home, cooks the same food everyday, turns on his music player to listen to his Music Playlist which only has songs sung by Dr. Rajkumar and sleeps off.

This is his routine from past 1 year.

Tanay works as an Insurance Agent in the company, and is not very efficient at his work, gets yelled by his Boss everyday as he doesn't meet his monthly targets.

During the Lunch break, Tanay everyday comes to have lunch at the small Canteen outside the office, and stands in a corner sipping a cup of Tea from the roadside shop.

The Curious Vismitha

One day a lady in her late 40s wearing a white Chudidhar with a grand Dupatta filled with bright colours and mirror work, stands next to Tanay.
Lighting a cigarette, the lady looks at Tanay and smiles at him. He doesn't reciprocate but quickly finishes his Tea and goes back to his office.

The next day the lady again tries to approach Tanay and looked like she wanted to initiate a conversation, but Tanay again avoids her.
The third day, with a cigarette in one hand and other hand extended towards Tanay she greets him with a bright smile "Hi, I am Vismitha". Unable to avoid her this time, Tanay extend his hands for a loose handshake and introduces himself with his Name.

Though Tanay didn't smoke and hates the smell of the smoke, he liked the flavored smell from her Cigarette.

"Hi Tanay, I am sorry to bother you, I observe you daily standing alone and sipping your Tea. Just curious to know if you are fine"

"Yes, I am fine, why do you ask?"

"I am sorry to intrude your privacy, but I have been observing you daily"

"Daily?"

"Yes, not sure you have ever noticed me, I am hired by your Insurance Company for their Silver Jubilee celebration planning. I am an event planner and helping your company for the event"

"Oh ok, I didn't know about the event or the milestone"

"No wonder...I see you sitting alone in a corner in the office, getting yelled by your Boss everyday, and you come here sad and alone to have your Tea. So I just wanted to talk to you and check if everything is fine with you or if there is anything disturbing you"

"Look here Miss..."

"Vismitha...call me by my name"

"Look here Vismitha, firstly I am not sad or disturbed. And even if I am, why would I want to share it with a stranger. I am getting late for my work now" he walks away.

Next day, they both again bump into each other and Vismitha in her usual style of dressing with clear white Chudidhar and a grand Dupatta and puffing on a Cigarette, again picks up a conversation "Hi Tanay, I am sorry to bother you, as I have been observing you, I felt like reaching out to you, talking to you and helping you. You can consider me as a good friend and share any problem you might have"

"You are now piling on me. Thanks for your concern, but genuinely I don't have any problem and I am not disturbed"

"Then why are you always silent, you don't talk to anyone at office and always alone and sad?"

"Just because I don't talk to people and silent, doesn't mean I am sad"

"Agree, but isn't it normal to have friends, to smile? And I have never seen you laugh since 1 month I have observed you"

"Why should I unnecessarily smile and laugh? I am a sane person, it's just that I don't like to interact with people. Yes I am an introvert but am happy in my space"

"Good to know that"

"Anyways, see you later, got to head back to work"

They both meet again next day and today Tanay himself walks up to Vismitha and greets "Hi Tanay, continuing from yesterday, so you are just saying you are fine and you are just different from others?"

"Yes, each are different and with different characteristics. Being introvert, not happy unnecessarily, and not interested with people around - is normal and not strange. You are extrovert, outspoken, you like people, you are a friendly person and street smart.

"Hmmm..I get what you are saying...We are just two different personalities and its wrong for me to judge just by what I perceive"

"Yes, you are right"

"I remember visiting Mysore Zoo sometime back where there was one Guide who was explaining about Crocodiles. I asked him why Crocodiles are always sleeping and hardly move, why are they so lazy"

"That guide asked me why am I assuming it's lazy and why am I expecting Crocodiles to be moving around all the time. Animals and Humans are different. Animals in general hunt only when they are hungry and conserve their energy all other times. They don't unnecessarily waste energy and move around like Humans"

"Wow, that's a great example"

"Tanay, what's your passion, what are your ambitions?"

"Nothing, I am just an ordinary person with average skills. I don't have much expectations or ambitions, and am contented in life."

"Interesting..you don't have any dreams??"

"No, I frankly don't have any big dreams. I am from a small town Saligrama near Udupi. We have a small house and 1 acre Land near our house. I just want to send as much as money possible back home for their livelihood"

"Wow, very humble. What's your interests or hobbies?"

"Nothing special. I just love Dr. Rajkumar, I only watch his movies and listen to only his songs. And Kola has been part of my life all along"

"I need to rush back to office, bye"

The Kola

Next day they meet again at their usual place and Vismitha eagerly asks "You were talking about Kola yesterday...what's that?"

"Kola is a ritual folk dance in Saligrama and entire coastal belt."

Vismitha could see Tanay's eyes wide open, in excitement and eager to explain and animatedly describe Kola, she realized it's his passion. Tanay goes on "Kola is a ritual in honor of the local deity. It is basically a spirit worship ritual celebrated by Tulu-speaking people in Dakshina Kannada in Karnataka. These spirits are neither good nor bad. Kola is also called 'nema' which means ceremony, which goes on from dusk to dawn.
It is an art involving expressions, performance, stylized dance. It is a belief that the spirit of the deity comes in the one performing the act and is a very religious affair.The area is decorated with flowers, mainly jasmine, and firecracker flower and such others. "

"So, you used to perform Kola?"

"Yes, I was part of a group and I have performed from past 10 years. I loved the music, the colours, the dance, the decorations, makeup, the drums, the beats, the recitals - all were so mesmerizing and magical. People loved my performance, my dance and I loved every bit of it, apart from the religious face of it. The spirit in the performer is believed to mediate and answer questions by the sponsorer."

"So, I assume you can't make a living out of it"

"Yes, it is more of a ritual and one can't make a living out of it. As people these days do not get Kola organized that frequently. I miss it badly.."

Dream Adda

"Tanay, if you are free on Saturday, I want to take you to a place"

"Where?"

"You just come with me, I am sure you will like the place"

"No thanks. I don't think I will be comfortable"

"Trust me Tanay, you will like it"

Tanay hesitantly agrees and both of them meet on Saturday and Vismitha in her usual style of dressing, picks Tanay in her Car. Tanay observes there was no God's idol on the Car dashboard.

She stops at a place that looked like a Cafe and it had a well lit board in bright colours and flashy lights that read "Dream Adda".

Vismitha leads the way and the security guard in a white Pathani Kurtha with a Big mustache is waiting for the visitors to come near him with what seemed like a Rubber Stamp.

"What's that?"

"It's a custom at this place, that man will put that Seal on your hands and you need to smell it before entering the place"

The guard puts a Seal that had name of the place on it. The Seal had a bright neon coloured impression on his hand, and as advised, he smells the impression on his hand..it had a very pleasing smell. As he snorted the impression, he felt something unusual within him. He felt good, he felt water running all over his body, he could feel an enjoyable coldness in his body. The surroundings came to a standstill and everything looked good.
With this strange and happy feeling, Tanay followed Vismitha as she entered the Cafe.
He sees a Receptionist greeting him with folded hands and welcoming them both, who looked strikingly similar to Tanay's favorite yesteryear actress Saritha with exact body language and style of speaking.

They settle down at a table and Tanay sees around and to his amusement, every guy who is serving in that Cafe were wearing one of the attires of Dr. Rajkumar's movies. If one Server is wearing a dress from Aakasmika, another guy was wearing a traditional attire of Bhakta kumbara, one more guy wearing the white suit from Mayura.


Tanay couldn't control his excitement...as he turned around, he was amused to see various themes of Dr. Rajkumar movie set.

Vismitha was seeing Tanay with a smiling face and he asked her "What is this place? Is the owner fond of Dr. Rajkumar as I am?"

"It is a magical place where people see what they want to see. Some call it Dreamland, magic land and few find this their fantasy world."

"What is it for you? Why do you come here?"

"I feel home here...I feel I own this place. This is a place where people find themselves and open up their minds"

Yellidhaane aa ninna Hari

"I feel overwhelmed, I don't know what to say. I would like to meet the owner if possible and learn more about this place"

"Are you sure you want to meet him? He is known to me"

"Really? I want to meet him, I have lot of questions"

"Sure, come along...let me take you to Hari"

Vismitha explains how Hari likes to play tricks...she describes a small game and points at 6 pillars and one of them is a door to his cabin. There is a doorbell against each pillar, Vismitha asks Tanay to press the right doorbell to find the door for his Cabin. Tanay after taking a minute, presses doorbell on the 3rd Pillar, and he is astonished and wonder-stuck to see the Pillar splitting and sees a door to a Cabin.
He asks Vismitha "What if I had chosen the wrong pillar, would I have not met him?"
Vismitha smiles and replies "That's the trick. All doors leads to Hari's cabin. You Go ahead meet and meet me outside the cafe"
Tanay enters the cabin and amazed to meet Hari, who is wearing a white shirt and a black Suit, with a pigeon on his shoulder and looked like Dr. Rajkumar himself.

Tanay asks Hari "Are you.....aah...My Icon...Dr. Rajkumar?"

"Haha...no Tanay..am not. People call me with different names and see me the way they like to see me, I can be what you want me to be"

"I am just speechless...I don't know what's happening with me...By the way, how did you know my name??"

A smiling Hari says "Well you are in my Cafe, and I know all my visitors. Tell me what do you seek from me?"

"I was happy and normal before I met Vismitha and before I came here...at least I thought I was happy...but now I seek more from life"

"These are possibly just reasons for what you to seek."

"I just need clarity, my mind is fogged"

"I had the same confusion sometime back, but a Tattoo solved my problem"

"Tattoo??"

"My colleague is a great Tattoo artist. Her Tattoos does wonders, why don't you try one yourself"

Tanay gladly agreed and he was guided to a small cave like passage that was dark and cramped. It opened up to a dim lit chair, where he was made to sit on a Chair. Durga inked a Tattoo of Lotus flower on Tanay's arm and he was guided out of the Cafe.
As he came out, he couldn't find Vismitha around, he waits for half an hour and goes back home in a Cab.

Tanay can't find Vismitha at their usual meeting place near the office for next one month. He desperately searches for her and enquires at office and surroundings but can't find her.

Tanay wants to meet Vismitha and tell her how life has changed for him since one month. How he has so much confidence on himself, how his performance at work has been exceedingly successful and how all the calls he is making to sell Insurance and people are buying every time he calls, how his boss and colleagues wouldn't stop appreciating him.

Tanay is sad that he couldn't meet Vismitha again and gives up on finding her as he doesn't even have her contact details.

Despite the success and growth at work, Tanay decides to pursue his dream and now has clarity and wants to do what he likes to do.

Tanay wraps up from Bangalore and moves back to Saligrama.

The Search Ends

6 months later, Tanay is now a well known Kola performer. He is in demand and people from Kumta to Mangalore, all wants to have Kola organized and performed by Tanay and group.
Whoever sponsors and gets the Kola play arranged and when Tanay gets the deity in him, all their problems are solved and they see prosperity.
People started to believe he is truly blessed and everytime he performs he is indeed possessed by the deity.

There was a new Durga Parameshwari temple built near Udupi and Tanay and group were invited to perform Kola at the Trustee's house in the same campus. Before performing the act, he visited the temple to take blessing of Durga Parameshwari.

He suddenly started sniffing aloud as he could smell the same unique fragrance and flavour as Vismitha's cigarette. He intensely started finding out from where the smell was coming and he was drawn towards the main Idol of Durga Parameshwari. And he was amazed to see the Agarbatti in front of the goddess that was emanating the smell.

He just stood there shocked and amused.

After 15 minutes of silence, he just bowed to the goddess and carried on with his part in the Kola act.