National Anthem(By Vidyasagar??!!!)

For the first time I got the opportunity to handle the music and computer support for an event at college. When the topic came up I was very eager to grab the chance and when I expressed my willingness, I was readily accepted for the job. With great excitement I set foot into the venue and set up my laptop and interfaced it with the audio system present in the hall. The students were all trickling in one by one and taking their seats in the hall. Sooner than we expected all the important people had arrived and the event kicked off with the inauguration and special lecture going off well.

Then it was time for me to play something during the snacks break and I used the superb 'Sand animation' video to keep the crowd entertained for a whole 10 minutes. After this break, Mr.Murali conducted a very nice group activity, basically a case study to help the participants develop their teamwork and leadership skills. Well that was the whole objective of the entire event. Brasstacks, the annual leadership skills development event conducted by Rotaract clubs from various colleges was, for the first time, conducted by the Rotaract Club of NITT. As a proud member of the club, I got the opportunity to rub shoulders with fellow members from the Roratact clubs of Urumi Dhanalakshmi College and National College. The participants were members from several Rotaract clubs which came under District 3000 region, which includes colleges from cities like Madurai, Dindigul and Trichy to name a few.

After the group activity went off well we set up the place for the valediction ceremony. It was all hush hush in the hall with people running from one end of the stage to another. Only when I stopped my friend and asked him why all this tension did I hear the words - "The Director is coming da". A slight fear gripped me. I did not know why, but I was a little tensed. My only job now was to play the national anthem when it was called for. In all my tension I did not want to mess that up. I had queued up only the anthem in the playlist and was ready to play it when I heard the words- "All rise for the National Anthem". Minute by minute, as all the prizes were being distributed to the winners the tension in me rose and I was even sweating on my nose.

Finally all the formalities were over and it was time for the national anthem of India. I heard the announcement and immediately clicked the Play button on Windows media player and moved to an upright attention position to pay my respect for the national anthem. What followed caused me to freee in shock! The following was what I heard - " (Beats)Dhum.... thak dhum... thak thak.. Ayyarattu Naattukatta... Ayyavoda Koothukatta". I immediately looked down into the laptop and tried to figure out what could be done. Lucky for me, I found the mute person and pressed it hard. Everything grew silent and my mind chose not to hear all the ooohs and aaahs from the crowd. I managed to notice the Director's face which now bore a smirk. Every second thankfully passed like a minute each and in no time I was able to stop the song and play the national anthem.

Thats not the end of it folks, for once I played the anthem and moved again into the respectful attention position, I could hear only silence for a few seconds. Fear gripped me again and only at that moment did I realise that I had put my laptop on mute to silence the song and that I would have to bring it back to normal volume. I quickly removed the mute and increased the volume and stood upright. "Bharata Bhagya Vidatha.."- thats from where we heard the anthem, and I had no option now but to let it run till its completion. I was sweating like crazy, for I had played a horrible movie song tuned in by Vidyasagar for the movie Majaa instead of the beautiful National Anthem written by the great Rabindranath Tagore.

I was glad that the great poet was no more to witness this mistake of mine, for if he had lived to see this day he would have not lived a single moment more. :) All my fellow rotaractors had a ball pulling my leg after the event was over. I had made such a big fool of myself in front of a huge crowd and more importantly in front of the esteemed dignitaries who had taken to the dais that fine day. Today, when I look back at it, I laugh for at least 5 minutes solid and enjoy my moment of glory as the member of the Rotaract Club of NITT.

For those who studied with me in Batch 2008 at NITT, you may be able to relate to this incident as the one mentioned in the comments section under my name in our "Reminiscence '08". If there is one thing I have learned, its that the national anthem was not composed by Vidyasagar. :)