While scribbling replies on Autograph/Slam Book questions in school/college I dont think I seriously meant the names I gave against 'My Idols' section. I definitely admired them....but surely not like Idol or anything.
Many of you have Idols....and they are the ones you adore, as that is what you want to be;you would love to be;you aspire to be...you dream to be.
People idolised are not always super famous.....it could be someone in our family.....someone in our friends list...anybody....and in my case she came from a newspaper column she had penned down...typed down whatever.
As a teenager, I fell easily to have idols changing every day....sometime it would be my teacher, sometimes Nelson Mandela, Shahrukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Sachin Tendulkar...
I remember my dad asking me once, "Who is your Idol?"...I said "Abdul Kalaam".
He said.."Wow...so what all do you know about him?" I told him all that I knew from being the current president of India at that time to the books he has written and some other random stuff. He demanded to know more. I told him that was all I knew. He said "that is what everyone in general knows". I felt...."how am I suppose to know anything else?"
I always wondered why a fan was heartbroken when Hrithik Roshan or Karishma Kapor was married. I would think the news that people broke their Television sets in Pakistan when their cricket team lost against India was totally fake....how can someone go to that extent? News that few died of heat attack when their favourite political leader died was a shock to me!
I never understood what made a fan frame his handkerchief which had Amitabh Bachchan's autograph on it.How could people build a temple for an actress? How can some shed crores to just get Bradman's bat in an auction? Now I know they are passionate about them....they really Idolise them.
One person who came close to being 'Idol' for me is probably Rachna Bisht Rawat. When there is a newspaper in front of me, the first thing I have been picking from ever since I remember is the supplement. It was in 2008, the month of February. All things on TV, paper, radio all talked about valentine's day. Being a 'not so romantic' person, the topic of love being discussed so much was getting annoying...some things seemed stupid...and it was wonders that I read this article from Rachna on a Sunday Herald (supplement of Deccan Herald).It was definitely on this topic, but the take was 'hatke'. I loved it...I wanted more. I googled for her name to find out more about her, with not much luck.
I even stuck to this newspaper for Sunday edition when we changed our newspaper just to make sure I did not miss her article when it appeared. I enjoyed reading every article of hers. Her writing was not predictable, her writing did not appear made up, it was not preaching. It had right amount of emotions....her writings were simple, crisp and real.She was all that I wanted to be as a writer....She was more than that too...
I adored her so much that I did not forget to google her name every now and then....and I wasnt finding anything....yes I was passionate about her writing...I wanted to know all about her...now I know she is getting closer to being my 'Idol'.
Just a few days back, I searched for her name again and found her website....there was no limit to my happiness. I was smiling throughout....I searched for words to tell her how much I loved her, then gave up that there is no other way than saying it in simple words...'I love what you write'. I sent her a message through her website and checked my mailbox every now and then to see if she replied. She had not. Did not even realise she could be in a different time zone than mine. I was sure she was busy, but was really hoping and praying she would respond to this fan of hers.
Saw her mail the next morning...I just cant explain the joy I had....I read and read and read those 6 lines she had written...just for me...I am feeling soo soo happy. I really love her writings...I really do...
Make time and go through her website....I hope you enjoy her writing too. Her website is :
Do let me know what you thought about my favourite writer!
2 comments:
Ritha, you made my day and gave me a reason to smile, particularly on those dark days when writer's block strikes and it's not easy to smile.
Thanks a lot for this dedication and for reading my pieces. It means a lot to me. :)
Rachna
Dear Ritz,
Being a writer myself, I understand how solacing and reverent it feels when there's someone who appreciates your work or writings, and idolizes, too. Keep up the idolization. I hope, someday I may have someone who'd appreciate me for what I am and what I have. :-)
Keep up the good work. Certainly acknowledgeable!
Cheers,
-AA!
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