Today I woke up to the extremely sad news of violinist and musician Balabhaskar’s demise. I was shocked, sad and lost to read the message. I switched on the tv to see the live news telecast and was in tears to see/hear what was happening.

10 hours later, i still feel the sadness linger. I have watched many of videos in the past few hours...and every time cried.. Thinking to myself, I ask why do i cry? I didn’t know him personally. He was a peer in age group and I grew hearing about his talents during college days...listening to his albums and witnessing a performance which he had in our nearby temple...I love violin as an instrument and often watch his performance videos in awe...In awe of the sheer talent.....he speaks of blissful moments in performances...and its true...there are moments in his performance where u become oblivious to the surroundings...you say nothing...sometimes smile or shed a tear...if thats not blissfulness..what is ?...And he gave us many such performances and moments...

But are these reasons to cry at his demise? There are many talented people who bid untimely adieu and I treat them as another news...What is different in this?

Is it his pleasing and charming personality? Is it the simplicity of his behaviour in every show, every interview and performance? Or am I relating to him as one amongst us...A man who is worth every praise being rewarded, who was always humble despite the multitude of talent he possessed...A man who was true to the word he gave the woman he loved...A man who had hopes and dreams just like any one of us...Who was looking forward to his daughter growing up...Who was looking forward to growing old with the person he loved...Who wanted to do even more to live up to the name of a maestro...Yet in a moment, life decided something else for him and his family.

Infact life decided that he didn’t need a family...How shattering could that be..For a happy family of three to be reduced to nothing...It makes me realise how helpless we are in life...How the saying Man proposes, God disposes is true..We plan plan and plan for things...Yet, there is an unknown plan being executed...As if we are mere players in a boardgame...Not aware of what awaits the next moment, forget the next day...

Wouldn’t he have wanted to hold his daughter once more? Tell the people he cared for that he loved them? Wouldnt he have rewound time just a minute earlier if he had the opportunity? Wouldnt life have been different if not for that moment?

We chase our dreams and plans and forget to tell the ones we care that we do...And once we lose them, we praise them for what they were... Can we not pause once a day/whenever possible to let our loved once know how much they mean to us? Atleast then we know, we said what we had to....Atleast we wont be in our deathbeds regretting...Or see someone in their last moments and regret...wish i had said this...wish he/she knew i cared..