Luckily my phone alarm went off today. So, I was at the station on time. I rushed to buy a ticket for Malad and headed towards platform 1. The train had just arrived and I saw a man boarding the 2nd class coach. I followed his lead and climbed on. Almost instantly, I heard a "daphli" play. It's kindda like a tambourine but with a resonating membrane that fills the center. I looked around to find the source and saw a young girl holding a baby in one arm and the instrument in the other. The child was deep in sleep and the mother ( I assume ) was singing to earn her daily bread. Another little girl (her daughter maybe) moved amongst the passengers, holding her hand out on spotting an enthusiast. I watched from a distance avoiding the little girls gaze.
She sang well, her voice was clear and loud like of a folk singer's. The daphli seemed like the perfect accompaniment. Her baby slept peacefully listening to it's mother's voice, it's lullaby maybe....
I couldn't hide from the little girl for long and soon she approached me and held out her hand. I gave her 10Rs and she stared at the note for a second and folded it up. I wonder why she stared at it...
The girl sang devotional songs and movie songs. I didn't recognize a single one but they were nice. There's nothing like listening to sweet music in the morning. She held her head up high as she sang, looking up towards heaven, asking for forgiveness maybe, praying for her child perhaps.
I wanted to clap for her. I wanted to applaud her singing. But I couldn't. I tried pacifying myself by putting forth reason's like , "Maybe I'd offend her", "Maybe she gets embarrassed" , "She might not come again" etc etc... but the real reason was because I didn't want to be embarrassed. I pictured myself clapping after she ended and imagined everyone giving her a standing ovation, just like in the movies. It was a sweet moment, at least in my head. But what if that didn't happen ? I imagined myself standing there clapping alone like a fool. I didn't want that. I wanted to encourage the girl's singing but not at the cost of my dignity. Question is, would I have lost it even a bit if I had clapped. I feel horrible now.. I should have clapped instead of thinking about what other's would think about me if I did.
I stood there as my head and my heart battled out and the girl silently got off at the next station.
But that's just my life....She sang well, her voice was clear and loud like of a folk singer's. The daphli seemed like the perfect accompaniment. Her baby slept peacefully listening to it's mother's voice, it's lullaby maybe....
I couldn't hide from the little girl for long and soon she approached me and held out her hand. I gave her 10Rs and she stared at the note for a second and folded it up. I wonder why she stared at it...
The girl sang devotional songs and movie songs. I didn't recognize a single one but they were nice. There's nothing like listening to sweet music in the morning. She held her head up high as she sang, looking up towards heaven, asking for forgiveness maybe, praying for her child perhaps.
I wanted to clap for her. I wanted to applaud her singing. But I couldn't. I tried pacifying myself by putting forth reason's like , "Maybe I'd offend her", "Maybe she gets embarrassed" , "She might not come again" etc etc... but the real reason was because I didn't want to be embarrassed. I pictured myself clapping after she ended and imagined everyone giving her a standing ovation, just like in the movies. It was a sweet moment, at least in my head. But what if that didn't happen ? I imagined myself standing there clapping alone like a fool. I didn't want that. I wanted to encourage the girl's singing but not at the cost of my dignity. Question is, would I have lost it even a bit if I had clapped. I feel horrible now.. I should have clapped instead of thinking about what other's would think about me if I did.
I stood there as my head and my heart battled out and the girl silently got off at the next station.
