The LAUGH on US with US Page(s)
We shall begin by mentioning
that the average band members member's size is around 4 inches. During
peace time, that is. Now, whether that translates to our having lived
amongst the rock 'n roll excesses, of whatever, is another issue.
After nearly seven years on the "rock 'n
Roll" scene, the average band guy at 26 years, we can still boast of virgins,
"tee-totalers", immoderate - or pain in the butt - non smokers, two married
men, and atleast one bisexual man amongst the seven of us. More on that
later.
A traditional practice amongst the parikrama folk that originated
with the band - way back in nineteen
fountain-pen
- is related to the initiation of a new member into the parikrama entourage.
The rule applies to all and sundry, regardless of age, caste, creed and
else, but gender.
This is an all male affair - partly because any fairer folk never been
around really. The service is administered by the grand old man of the
lot...the subir malik...one with the manager advantage, and it involves
the man himself, imbibing an entire capful of beer, and then initiating
each newcomer in his yet unfathomed, unnerving, unparalleled ways.
Different
folk have had experiences ranging from:
having been chased around the college auditorium
by a man possessed...with
a broom - the 6 feet long sorts used by municipality sweepers ...
consequently placed, rear-end first, into a largish drum...filled with
cafeteria trash and last three days monsoon rain collections.
256 out of 257 have had their nose bitten...some
sustained week long scars.
155 have formally obtained a fitness certificate
after a public examination....(that's where the "4 inch" statistics are
from)
54 have said sorry at "gunpoint" for follies such
as:
why their name is what it is !
why they open their mouths while talking, or pants while peeing !!
HE didn't find time for a crap in the morning !!!
pakistan beat bangladesh in a kho-kho match !!!!
etc ..
6 people still RESPECT HIM inspite of all this!
Additionally, most have, at different times and
occasions, ducked from flying shoes and other "U"nidentified-cause-they-"F"ly-past-so-Fast-"O"bject's.
Toothpaste or talcum in your hair, at all areas
of sproutings, in the mornings or nights; candid shots of one in the loo
and other such juvenilitys have been humoured to death.
Life
on-stage has been better. Atleast most of them take you seriously. Some
"almost" ...and some too much. Among these latter "almost's"... were one's
who weren't exposed to rock concert ettiquettes. Or was it that they wouldn't
just agree to it, for when subir jumped out to them from the stage in
order to crowd-surf
.
They simply moved aside to let the rock(ed) star crash land not-so-safely
onto the concrete stands. Head first. The show ended immediately thereafter,
the cops sure that a band member had been assaulted by the 'riotous' crowd.
TRIVIALITIES SECTION
The first unofficial show was performed as "Suspended Forth Asylum", circa
1991, at a common friends college bash.
The first Official PARIKRAMA concert was performed on 28th September of
1991 at the Fr, Agnel School grounds at Niti Bagh in Delhi. For 500 Rupees
apiece.
The 100th concert was 5th February in 1996 at R.A.I.T., MUMBAI.
The L..o..n..g..e..s..t concert was probably at A.I.I.M.S., Delhi. About
3 hours and 40 minutes or so, ending at dawn.
The sh.rtst concert was at Hindu College, Delhi Univ. in 1996. 3 and a
half minutes, or the first chorus of the opening track...'highway star'
by deep purple.
subir, nitin, chintan and prashant
are from the same school, St. Xavier's, Delhi. Subir is the eldest, prashant
a batch junior. Chintan and nitin, a year younger, were classmates.
All except Nitin, who went to Hindu Coll., went to Kirorimal College and
were part of a now defunct MUSOC. Almost the official college band.
PARIKRAMA has played about 230 concerts in probably the maximum number
of cities in India for a manners-minding-pure f***in indian rock'roll
act. Over 40 cities in 12 states across the country. Live...and without
an album release yet.
PARIKRAMA is not THE source of income for any of the members. It's food
for the souls.
NOTES
(#)
- nineteen fountain-pen - An old saying in the Kalimpong Hills
(##) - crowd-surf - An tendency among rock and roll artists to presume that the audience all want to pick him up and fondle him as he floats over thier heads when he sees them raise their arms.
(###) - PRASHANT BAHADUR and RAHUL MALHOTRA, both
MBA's now, are the only two founder members of the band not playing anymore.
The rest have had nothing better to do.
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