Friday, September 11, 2009

Blog:- …and the legend rejoices in heaven

…and the legend rejoices in heaven


June 25, 2009 – a usual day it was. But nothing remained ‘usual’ about it as it carried along the news of the sudden demise of the music sensation, Michael Jackson. I was rushing to my office unaware of the word that had by then shook almost more than a half of the world.

As I reached office, I saw all the news channels, websites and newspapers flooded with the biggest news of the day – the news that shattered and pained the millions and billions of those who loved and hated the all time favorite musician Michael Jackson – for their own reasons. The earth underneath my feet almost slipped as I heard of the news. The world had lost the ‘King of Pop’ as they called him. I couldn’t somehow believe it to be true and kept on reading and surfing on more and more about the music icon.

How could one believe it…? The music sensation moon walking away so swiftly – away from us, to another world, even as the world did not have the slightest indication.

Websites crashed, people mourned and fans were seen setting up vigils in public parks and streets. Suddenly everyone wanted to know and discuss and read more and more about the celebrated star – the good and the bad things he was known for – his music, his concerts, his life, his family, his controversies and what not. Such was the craze and such was the name of the pop icon – MJ – a brand.

And now an era of the ''fire of music'' ends with him, as he leaves the cosmos to mourn. The world would never forget the multi-faceted personality. His precious contributions to music altogether set up new trends; and made pop music discover heights that were never-ever achieved.

A composer, producer, entertainer, choreographer, singer, songwriter, author, dancer, businessman and philanthropist – Jackson was truly an icon. What more can a person achieve in a single lifetime?

Defeating all the ups and downs of the life, he remained dedicated to music.
As a child, Jackson was physically and emotionally abused by his father. Jackson had reportedly once said that owing to the ill-treatment by his own father, he had suffered nightmares for a long time.

Controversies and MJ shared a bond seemingly – a bond that kept him the tabloid favorite, throughout his life. His life remained a “storehouse of controversies” including the “child sexual abuse case”, “his marriage”, “his surgeries”, “drug addiction”, “his changing appearances”, “bizarre behaviour” and “his illness”.

The legend while on one hand has now left behind a diehard fan following after him; there are critics on the other hand for whom Jackson was a man of illicit activities. While for some he was a legend, for others he was a subject of extreme hatred, envy and criticism.

For some he was a winner – a victor whose achievements are not easily describable. For others, he still remains a subject of hate and anger.

The issue is not whether he was good or bad, the discussion is nowhere aimed at deciding whether to love or to hate MJ. It is about just remembering a talent, that’s it. At least, I find it as simple as that. While thinking about MJ for the past few days, I often end up thinking: Do the common people don't have negativities? Don’t we do wrongs in our lives? Are people in our society so pious? But just because we or for that matter every other person around us isn’t that popular, our deeds don’t get highlighted. In fact not just the commoner, see around and you’ll find many such faces mocking at the other for their wrong doings and taking immense pride knowing that they would never fall in a trap. And for a person like Michael Jackson, one has to pay the price for success and popularity.

For how many reasons would one hate him? For how long one will not praise him and keep ignoring the good things he did? How would one not love him? And no matter how much whosoever wants to hate him, every time his talent, struggle and achievements will overshadow the hatred. They will find two or three reasons not to love him and hundred more reasons to love him.

No one could ever forget a transformer who transformed the music video from a promotional tool into an art form, made popular a number of physically complicated dance techniques such as the 'robot' and the 'moonwalk' and the world followed him and loved his music.

His albums dominated the charts for years. He secured the highest royalty rate in 1980 in music industry. Millions of dollars donated by him helped people to overcome drug abuse and alcohol. He helped underprivileged children and made them achieve what they would have otherwise just longed for.

I wear my heart on my sleeves to stand by the side of MJ – no matter whosoever criticises me. It seems that MJ was “high on the hogs” but that all came from graveyard shifts, beads of sweat and blood, sleepless nights, years of learning and struggling.

To believe or not it's obvious that no one will ever see him again. Now he is on an everlasting and never-ending rendezvous with the Yama. Let him dwell in his new abode. A royal salute to the great music-healer and music-bellwether of all times!

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