Ek tha Pancham, Ek hain Asha
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I saw Pancham (RD Burman) during the days when he reigned supreme. I saw him completely in control of the "surs", the "taals", the "sargams" and all that melody in which there was a certain kind of madness, music which was music like music was never or ever before. And I saw him create his own brand of music, music that set trends, music that brought new life to music, music that thrilled, music that brought glory to music, music that danced and swayed and swung before it could lead others to react to the rhythms and beats he created from somewhere deep within his soul. I saw him command the waves of music. I saw him control and tame the voices of some of the greatest singers of all times. I saw him transform into a genie, a magician and a mad man who could transform himself, the people around him and even the atmosphere. I also saw Pancham as calm and as peaceful and as lovable when he created music exclusively for his dear friend, Gulzar. He was several composers in one and I was lucky to see all those composers, all those Panchams in one Pancham.

And then I saw him when his heart slowly started betraying him and he was almost out of work till he sprang back to glory with his fascinating music in Vidhu Vinod Chopra's 1942 A Love Story. The unit of the film celebrated his music one night and he was in the seventh heaven and looked forward to a new beginning and the next morning before it was seven the phone rang and a voice said Pancham was dead. How could Pancham die? How can Pancham die? Pancham is still alive if you are alive to the madness that is going around the world even today, a time when men and entire groups are making a living just out of being inspired or directly imitating him and his compositions.

But the best thing to happen to Pancham to keep him alive is what he did with his companion forever, Asha Bhosle. There are times when I feel that Pancham passed on a part of his life to Asha. There is that life in Asha and she proves it even now when she is just 73! She has just come out with an album called Asha remembers Rahul. And try comparing what the two great music magicians created with the kind of music that is being created today and you will feel your heart sinking within yourselves. The Panchams and the Ashas don't happen all the time. They are once-in-several lifetime experiences which make life rich for all time. They make life feel proud.
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