September 05, 2000

From the Shadows of Pain

In a week when it looked like he had won all his battles, both personal
and on the court, life dealt Andre Agassi a devastating blow.

Both his mother and sister were diagnosed as having the dreaded disease of breast cancer. In the run up to the Olympics, at the US Open, the media went into overdrive, speculating about the effect this shocking news would have on his lethal, all guns ablaze form. Despite, his near impossible comeback rally, both on court and off, Andre was unprepared for the fragility of his inner self and lost form and crumbled, crashing out of, not just the tournament, but perhaps the game itself forever.

At thirty, his was a spectacular return to championship tennis. After his break up with Brooke Shields, physical injuries had taken a fair toll on his game. Within the space of two years instead of a tennis burn out, he reinvented himself and was back in spectacular form both on and off court.

He won four grand slam tournaments with the new love of his life, Steffi Graff, by his side and proved conclusively to the world at large that he was a Tennis Gladiator good at his game and great with the crowds. Alas nothing prepared him for the personal calamity of his mother and sibling both being diagnosed as suffering from cancer.

In his own way the Lord tests the ones He gives it all to the most. He challenges them to live their life under the constant glare of public attention and then throws them challenges that brings them down on bended knee. Agassi may never find his tennis form again, but he has the fortitude to see this personal tragedy through with the help of his soulmate, Steffi.

The film Gladiator is another epic that holds one in its thrall from beginning to end. Russell Crowe as the Gladiator brings a depth to his role which guarantees that a lifetime of Oscars will follow his deep baritone voice like Pied Piper's flute. To the very end of the earth. His raw courage and fearless fortitude makes an indelible mark but violent it is, so do be prepared and keep those tissues handy too.

A gentleman I have known for almost twenty years is the suave and charismatic, `rhythm at his fingertips', Zakir Hussain. Getting over his father Ustad Alla Rakha's tragic demise, close as it came to his sister's untimely end, took tremendous courage and fortitude. Now donning the mantle of `Ustad' and collaborating with Taufiq, his brother, he presents a concert `Rhy-dhun' on Tuesday at the Mayfair rooms India's first family of percussionists are to be accompanied by Shankar Mahadevan and Ranjit Barot.

The opening line of the invitation read ``If anyone desires a wish to come true, they must capture a butterfly and whisper that wish to it. Since butterflies make no sound, only the Great Spirit can hear their message.

This way your wish is taken by the released butterfly to the heavens and thus granted''. Beautiful and evocative I look forward to Tuesday's concert.

On Saturday last, Dov the warm hospitable Consul General of Israel invited a select group of us to a monodrama by Itzick Weingarten at the Taj Ball Room. It was a moving play, seen through the eyes of a mentally challenged son.

His love and devotion to his father is reciprocated in full, with love concern and an equal devotion, by the father, who sadly dies of a heart attack. The trials and tribulations of the young man trying to cope and retract some punishment from a critic of his father, made sensitive compelling viewing. Ashwini Khakkar and I left when Mr Weingarten began answering questions from the audience.

I felt a bit overwhelmed and needed to be with a friend rather than a crowd as the performance had wrenched the heart strings. To emerge from the shadows of pain, one needs Herculean strength and wisdom, guided by the will of God, but succeed we must to live another day filled with hope and love.

 

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