He; who opened my eyes.

Moment-1

Dr. Satyabrata Rout

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He opens our eyes; removes all the darkness from within us and helps to acquire the light of knowledge. He inspires us to follow the right path in life. He makes us special and fills us with positive energy. He is always connected with his students and all his deeds are for the betterment of his disciples in long run. From the outer view he may be harsh and rude but his heart must be pulsating for his students in every moment. He is the most selfless man who loves to give and share his experiences and teaches us life. He is my GURU.

I am going to narrate some of my experiences with my beloved teacher who shaped my thoughts, ideas, personality and above all my perception towards this wonderful world. Yes I am talking of the legendary Guru Sri B.V Karanth and intend to share my experiences with all.

Something happens in somebody’s life that twists his path and makes him someone he never thought of. I am talking of myself. I had never dreamt to be an artist. Though passion for art was always there from childhood, I never ventured to adapt it as my profession. I was studying medicine and wanted to be a doctor. I wanted to lead a life that most of the common individual cherished for. But something happened to me in my 3^rd year of medicine that changed my life and made me focused to a different perspective. It happened because of Sri B.V Karanth.

First time I met him in 1979. He was giving a talk on Indian theatre at Bhubaneswar. I didn’t know him before but I can’t forget that moment when I saw a man with kurta and black beard talking in English mixed Hindi to a huge gathering of Oriya audience. The language I couldn’t follow but his expressions and aura was so powerful that dragged me under his spell. At that moment I decided to learn theatre from him. I expressed my desire to study at National School of Drama to him. (Karanth was the director of NSD during that time). But to my utter astonishment he started shouting at me and refused to talk. I remembered I was shivering and trembling like a leaf by his harsh loud words. I came back to my hostel and spent a sleepless night, every moment recalling his wide beard face. His words disheartened and upset me from my within; “I will not select you in NSD. You are not born for that. Continue your study and be a doctor”.

At that very moment I promised to join in National School of Drama in the ensuing academic year and told my friends that, “nobody can stop me joining there nor even B.V Karanth”. I prepared myself thoroughly for theatre. I read books related to plays and literature. I learnt Hindi and read Mohan Rakesh’s “”Ashad ka Ek din and “Adhe Adhure”. I applied for NSD in 1980 and called for an interview in Delhi. I met Karanth there. At my first appearance he shouted at me, “Oh! Oriya boy! Why did you come? I am not going to take you.” Again I was discouraged by his ruthless words. I couldn’t do well in the interview. I came back Bhubaneswar with broken heart. The next couple of days went very badly. I got irritated towards friends. I did not talk to anybody properly. I got very angry with Karanth. For me he was a villain. I was so frustrated that I thought to discontinue my medical study and go back home. Ultimately I fell ill and was hospitalized. I blamed Karanth for all my sufferings and cursed that moment when I met him first time in Bhubaneswar. I was almost at the point of breaking down.

I got cured but my disappointment was increasing day by day. Almost a month passed by. One day the post man handed over a registered letter to me. I opened it and could not believe my eyes. I was selected for NSD with condition that I have to submit a no objection certificate from my parent.

And the rest is history……

Contd………………………………….