Rocking Hard(ly) in Mumbai!

On the 2^nd of August, one of our classmates was to perform on the famed stage of Hard Rock Café in Worli. I love anything that has to do with music and this, was a chance to be there for my class. Well, there was a party scheduled too. The whole idea was to move away from the assignments and let us all bond out of class. This was the perfect excuse.

Venue: Hard Rock Café. I realize I am mentioning this name repeatedly. That's because the impact is still very fresh. I am from Hyderabad. The only city in the world to have 2 Hard Rock Cafes or, as we usually call them, HRCs. Coming from a place that that has such strong Rock music fan base, the HRC here in Mumbai would have to have me floored. Well, apart from the enthralling performances of my fellow classmate and his band- “Beat-route”, the restaurant did surprise me.

This was the first HRC to open in India and it surely had to make its mark in a cosmopolitan city like Mumbai. The whole restaurant can seat over 150 people and it was huge! The whole atmosphere was electric. Rock music is a serious business in the Hard Rock café. After all they even named themselves so.  The walls are not mere walls. They hold within its gaping holes and crevices (purposeful, of course), memorabilia that were once owned by the bigwigs like Eric Clapton, Alice Cooper, Madonna, Led Zeppelin and so on.

This also means that people who visit HRC are music fans like me who wouldn’t mind a bite or two while they listened to their favourite performances. There are 2 stages in the restaurant. Yes, for 2 simultaneous performances.Talk of a night out in Town!  I'm going there again! for sure!!

Leaving Platform No. 3

Hyderabad is my home town. A flourshing city that was once a little town where I found home. How did it come to be so?

Dad, has a job that requires him to frequently move. I was born in one town, moved all around the country. Made friends, changed schools, changed associations and such. But one thing that remained constant was my Hyderabad connect. It earlier was "my native place". You know, the indian equivalent of a vacation when every summer you go to Nanna-amma's (grandma's) place or as I, called her, Naamma. whether I was in Bangalore or Delhi or Lucknow, Hyderabad was the place to be during vacations. 

However, this little native place became, my permanent home on June 20, 2000. Dad had relocated here. After years of being all over the place, Hyderabad was now going to be the changing point in my life. 

First, I got into a school which was very different from my older schools. This was as Telugu-rooted as it could get. There were different prayers for everyday of the week and did not have a typical school prayer book. I thought I had a basic command over telugu. After all, its my mother tongue! Alas, I found myself at a loss for so many words! I did not know what kind of jokes the kids in class were cracking or what the aaya was telling me. The teachers were more like maternal figures than the typical disciplinarians. I for once found friends who made me lose my inhibitions and let me be. In earlier schools, I hade made friends but they all involuntarily had a time limit to my friendship with them. (Pre-facebook - email times!) These guys had somehow made me want to stay on longer and my wish was granted!! I completed my schooling in the 8th school I had joined. I was now going to attend Junior College here in Hyderabad. And then, my college education too!! 

I have managed to complete my schooling and college education in one city! The same city of Hyderabad. 

I now had friends from the educational institutions I studied in and, remain in contact with. I have memories of Biryani and irani chai. Now when the train pulls away form the station, the reality of me moving is getting stronger.

There are many who are away from home and are living independently. This is not what scares me but the fact that I’ll move away from everyone I have found a personal connection with over the years is going to fade away. Sure, there are opportunities to meet new people and find a new connect. I’ve always known this since I was a kid.

Now, if it were a flight out of town, it would be like a quick as taking off a band aid. And, when it's a train,  as you begin to lose network coverage, you’ll also realize that the contacts on your phone are now going to be long distance calls and you have to “take time” to contact them.

On one hand, I have been looking to further my career prospects and lead an ambitious life and on the other, I want to remain cuccooned in the lovely city of Naa Hyderabad.
Thankfully I do have a Hydie connect in Mumbai. The very friends who inspired me to start this blog!